Through the Eyes of a Musician
by JD the God of Salt
Summary: After a successful gig at the River King Casino a night before, your close friend and drummer of your group is murdered alongside his wife. Now while the others have moved on it's up to you and a couple of friends to dive in and figure out who murdered him and serve a harsh plate of justice. Told in 2nd Person. Rated M for Language and Sexual Themes.
1. Groovin' High?

**A/N: Another day, another Fandom. Now I've reared my ugly ass in the world of Skullgirls. At least I know I'm not gonna tank it. Let's go!**

**Currently listening to Baby be Mine by MJ**

* * *

New Meridian. A city of debauchery, malice, and business. Not a place to be fond of.

Yet, here you are as an upcoming Bassist. You and your ragtag quintet of musicians have made New Meridian your home for a while now. This concocted crew grew up as friends from the small town of Maplecrest, originally a quartet in need of a Jazz Bassist. Since you were in the neighborhood, you went and practically dominated the audition. That made you a stranger to these guys and lone girl. Bud, the pianist, and second in command when you're not around. Morello, the lofty drummer, Page, the silver-tongued guitarist. And Sonny, a multi-instrumentalist with a heart of gold.

And you are... "Shaggy!"

You stopped your Bass exercises and looked at Sonny, annoyed that your concentration was shattered. "What is it, Sonny? Can't you see I'm warming up here?"

Sonny wore a black suit and tie, as you all are at a show at Medici Tower. Or, you're getting ready for a show no one has really shown up yet. You pulled a lot of strings to get the group up here. If everything goes well here, who knows what opportunities await? At any rate, you started your warm-ups again, but at a pace where you can still hold a conversation.

"Sorry, Boss. We were just wonderin' on the setlist for tonight. Didn't really discuss it, y'know?" Sonny mentioned in concern.

You nod in realization. But if you five have anything, it's chemistry. This group understood how to play off one another, which you really admire and appreciate.

"How about that tune you were writing back at our apartment, Boss?" Page chimed in. "What's it called again?"

A chuckle left you as you continued warming up. "Uptown - Downtown?"

She nodded excitedly. "Yeah, Uptown - Downtown! That's a bad track, Boss!"

You shake your head. "Yea, the bassline may sound great, but we never rehearsed it." You finished your first exercise before swiftly moving to the next one. "We'll see how the show goes, and if the crowd is on board, we'll try it out."

Everyone agreed with your compromise as You played a string, realizing it's slightly out of tune. "Hey, Bud. You mind giving me a Bb?"

"Sure thing, Shaggy," he answered before playing middle Bb on his piano.

You play the same string and tune it, so it no longer sounded wonky. A fire setlist is needed for tonight. Uptown - Downtown was tossed up by Page, and you took it into consideration. But what else can be played before closing up the show? It had to bring down the house.

"How much time do we have? I forgot to ask the joint's owner." You embarrassingly inquired.

Bud Always one step ahead, Bud knew the answer. "You forgot again, Shaggy? The owner said: 'Till I say you got one more! Then you play one more, we pay ya, and ya beat it!' He sounded a lot more aggressive when he told me, by the way. The guy lacked manners and spit all over my suit. So we have an indefinite amount of time. That meant so long as you don't suck **(a high improbability)**, you can play for as long as you want. And remember, Shaggy. Eliza will be coming right after us. I suggest we book it as soon as we finish our last tune to avoid a confrontation with Horace and Albus."

Ugh, Eliza.

A drama queen, attention whore, and diva. Just her name earned a groan from everyone from the group, yourself included. But, Eliza can sing a siren to sleep. In all honesty, she isn't the reason why you and your team don't like being around her. It's her bodyguards. Horace and Albus always pissed you and your group off. Territorial doesn't even begin to describe your disdain for that damned bird and wolf. In fact, you can think of about fifty words to describe them, none safe for work. But that's between you and me.

"Ok. Instead of thinking of specific tunes, we can have certain feels in mind. Let's think of a waltz, ballad, standard, blues, and something unique. For a waltz, I was thinking of Footprints or Aida. I have Body and Soul for ballads," you stated.

"How about, Cry me a River? Or Summertime?" Morello suggested while adjusting his glasses.

"Those are good suggestions. Someone has done some listening, I see," you thanked. "What about standards? Nita, Circus, or Celia all come to mind."

"What about Evidence? Or Sweet and Lovely?" Sonny requested.

He always had a thing for playing standards with intricate melodies. Then again, you're the one who mentioned Nita and Celia, both of which are complex in their own ways.

You nodded. "Those will do. Now, blues. Tenor Madness, Blue Monk, Equinox. Any other ideas?"

"Knot the Blues?" Morello brought up.

You raise an eyebrow. "Knot the Blues isn't a blues, Morello."

The others laugh at his blunder. "Oh. Heh, oops." He continued tuning his kit.

"Eh, doesn't matter anyway. Blues are so last year anyway." You remarked. "Now, the fun stuff. Originals. What do we have?"

"How about Seat of Power? Or Moonlit Melee? Unisphere, Three to get Ready, Watch Out!?" Page all suggested.

You all nod in agreement. "And there you have it. I think we're good for tonight."

After everyone agreed, you pick up speed in your exercise before the patrons come in. The whole crew is talented at their respective instruments. But you? Your skill with the Bass is near inhumane. No song is too slow or too fast. No feel is alien, no avenue hasn't been explored. So, why do people call you Shaggy? Simple really. You have hair like an Old English SheepDog. Unless you move it, no one can see your eyes. Plus, you tend to remain calm at all times, even when it comes time to do your profession. It's bewildering to most, but your group has gotten used to it by now. After finishing your exercises on time, people start filling in the seats, a full crowd for tonight.

"Alright, everyone. Let's stop the noodling," you suggested.

Bud countered, "Shaggy, you're still playing your Bass."

He was right as you were still blazing on your Bass. "Sorry," you say cheekily as you start wiping it down.

Soon after, the owner of the floor walked up to your group. "Alright, guys and gal. S'long as you don't do bad, you can stay 'till Eliza shows then ya got one more and then ya get lost. I'll pay ya all when ya leave the buildin'," he explained. "Questions?"

"Nope," you said while cleaning the Bass.

"Cool. You're on five. Knock 'em dead, kid!" the owner told you before walking to the bar.

More and more people walk in as our performance time crept closer. From here, You could tell there were about a hundred or so people here

"Whoa. This is a lot of people," Morello quietly noticed.

"Sure is," Page commented. "Hey, Boss. Did a lot of people come here when you were still freelance?"

Before you auditioned and became a part of the Maplecrest Quintet, you played freelance, commissioned by other quartets or triplets who needed a bassist for a show. Most of those gigs ended up being in this very venue.

"Yeah, sometimes. Attendees would vary depending on who was playing. But since most of the people who come to these shows know you already, they must've heard that you run your own group and that's why so many people showed. And to further reinforce that reasoning, when some of the people started coming in, they noticed you and greeted you," you explained.

"Hey, Shaggy!" a passerby said. I waved to them.

"Wow, Boss. I didn't know you were famous," Sonny mentioned. You shrug at the observation.

You merely shrugged. "Believe me. If you think that was cool, wait until Eliza shows up."

Looking at the owner, he gives the ok to start the performance. You clear your throat to get everyone's attention. All eyes are on you and the crew.

Good Luck.

"How's everyone doing tonight?" you announced.

Murmurs of excitement sounded across the room, even among the bouncers and security. "Awesome, awesome. We're the Maplecrest Quintet. With me are the coolest cats on this side of New Meridian. On the kit, we have the Lofty Morello!" You introduce Morello as he played a basic drum fill.

"On the six-string, we have Silver Tongue Page!" she played The Lick on her guitar, earning a couple of laughs.

"Our multi-instrumentalist, Jack of all Trades, Master of All, Sonny!" Sonny winked at some of the ladies in the audience, earning whistles from them. The smooth dog he is.

"On Piano is the Second in Command, The Gold to my Platinum, the Dizzy to my Bird, Bud!" he played a II-V-I turnaround.

Before you can finish off, someone from the crowd yelled, "And who are you fam?"

"I'm the Ringleader, the Big Cheese, the Head Honcho. But you can call me Shaggy," you introduced yourself as the audience roared in response. "But enough about us! I hope y'all are ready for some great music tonight!" You joke.

They all cheered in response. "Alright, let's get to work! Enjoy yourselves!"

You turn to your group. "Nita. You're all ready?" Everyone nodded. "Morello, you got seven upfront. And Sonny, play a pick up that'll lead us into the melody. Alright, 1. 2. 1,2,3,4."

**(Play Nita by John Coltrane)**

Morello played a burning seven bars before Sonny got on his trumpet. The rest of the band came in as smooth as butter as you walked the changes while Sonny burned through the melody. You get to the bridge where things calm a little before heading to the final eight bars. You finished the melody, and Sonny boldly took the first solo. You and Bud cut back on the changes as you were playing a little too loud, but the balance returned swiftly. You look to the crowd and see that they're digging your choice of tune. Starting off with a Standard was the right call.

After taking two choruses, he passed the baton to Page, who quickly picked up where Sonny left off. Her fingers slid across the fretboard like it was nothing, and what she was playing sounded appealing to the crowd. She started her third chorus, and you noticed Sonny setting up his Tenor Sax. He didn't do that before the show began? It was so like him. But he made it on time just as Page finished.

When Page finished up, Sonny came back in on his Sax with the Courage of a Stunt Driver. This is where he really shines since he can play nearly any instrument you put in front of him but is especially good with a woodwind. The crowd gives a collective "Ooooooh." at his return to the solo format. He starts his second chorus. You give Bud a quick look to signal he's next. He noticed and nodded. Sonny finished before giving the spotlight up.

Bud is a monster on the piano and the way he began the solo set the tone for the rest of the night. His fingers flew all across those keys as if his hands were flying. He kept the crowd in suspense as he left open spaces in his playing. Sure, Page and Sonny did too, but not as much. He enjoyed teasing the crowd before trapping them with a false sense of security. An excellent job on his behalf, as he glanced at Morello, his way of saying it's his turn to take it home.

Being a drummer, Morello can build tension easier than anyone in the group, his awareness of what to play next violently outshined by his hi-hat. No matter how wild or concentrated his playing is, you always hear the hi-hat cymbal going up and down. It built an unknown around his style. You noticed the crowd is leaning in to see what would happen next. He played the final bars of his solo before you all bring it back in. The crowd roared in applause as you all effortlessly transitioned back into the melody. Sonny moved back to his trumpet as he played while the rest of the group serving as his pseudo hypemen. Sonny finished the song by extension. You expected love from the crowd but not a standing ovation, on the first song no less!

Look at you, Shaggy!

"Thank you. Thank you. That was Nita, a composition made by our very own Sonny here," you gave credit while the crowd continued praising the performance. "For this next tune, we suggest you find a partner, cause we're slowing things down for this one. And if you can't waltz, then don't bother." You turned to the group. "Aida. Bud, play us in."

"You got it, Shaggy," he complied.

**(Play Aida by Rene McLean)**

Bud started an impressive run of notes before leading the crowd on with repeats. His hands played a quick sixteenth-note chain before pausing briefly, beginning a slow, unpredictable set of keys. Out of the corner of your eye, Sonny has his flute ready.

Playing a couple of stray notes to finish the setup, Sonny started playing the melody. Aida is a waltz, meaning it's in ¾, and while not one you can dance to, every time the group played Aida, some couples (mostly elder ones) find a way to dance to it anyway. An incredible sight as it never failed to put a smile on the group's face.

Aida had a twenty measure melody that repeated, placing a bassline that accompanied it, which Bud wrote. The second time Sonny ran through the tune, you spice up the bassline to keep the crowd on their toes. A few of them noticed, and some didn't, but it's nothing worth losing sleepover. The melody is done, and Sonny took the helm as the first soloist, and the crowd sat impressed. You did mention that Sonny was a master instrumentalist, and it wasn't a joke.

Sonny's attack on the solo was pretty simple, deciding to build tension and have it steadily increase as he kept going into the second and third runaround. As the piece finished, he started releasing a bit but not all of it, becoming the theme of the song tonight.

Page took the mantle, albeit not for long. She did nicely in keeping the tension present, playing short licks, and didn't resolve. Morello's decision to use brushes for this song was smart as he did a fantastic job keeping everyone up to speed. After finishing her chorus, Page gave Bud a signal that he's next. He, in turn, glanced at you. Ah, he wants to share a chorus. You comply, as doing this will definitely keep the crowd interested.

You played a smooth lick to construct the illusion; it was your turn. Still, immediately after, Bud came in, and you took a sneaky backseat as he played his chorus. Playing off of you, the joint solo sounded beautiful, adding to the song's mystique. The melody was ready to reset, and he looked at you. It's your turn now. And you definitely didn't disappoint. Bud strung together a run of block chords to end his solo.

You finally get the spotlight and do so by playing a short line on that resonates with the crowd, earning some 'ooohs.' Then, you played the same path but with your bow strumming on the strings, grabbing the audience's attention. What a way to continue the theme of building tension! In the middle of the form, Morello made a shaking sound on his snare with his brush, creating something similar to that of hard rain hitting a window that spawned mysticism. He continued until you were halfway through your second chorus until he stopped. After finishing the second chorus, you put your bow away to start playing your final chorus. This was where you were going to let all the tension go. But not after filling the room with more to the point where it spilled over. Your tugs and pulls become harder on your strings, reinforcing the uneasy feeling. Then the form was ready to repeat, and you play your final notes softly, which released the tension as the group jumped back in for the melody.

Snaps, claps, whistles, and more were used to congratulate you all as Sonny kept the melody going. The applause didn't stop until you were all halfway through the first time around. After he finished a second time, you all drum the same note to build momentum before releasing it off, ending Aida. Another standing ovation from the performance, fantastic job! You expected to do well, but not this well! This is definitely a feeling you all could get used to. As you wiped the sweat off your brow, you start to talk again.

"Thank you very much," you spoke as the applause died down.

They all sat down as you see Eliza, Horace, and Albus entered the building. You would introduce them, but you needed to get Aida out of the way first. "That was Aida, a Waltz written by our very own Bud. It's a nice tune, don't you think?" Everyone murmured in a collective agreement. "Good, good. You've been an amazing audience. I apologize if my solo wasn't up to par-"

"What are you talking about, Shaggy? You had the best one in the track!" An audience member yelled, earning more applause from the crowd.

Playing along, you bowed as the other members of the group laughed. "Thank you, thank you. Before we play our final tune because the owner of the floor is giving us the death stare," that got another laughter from the crowd.

You point at Eliza and her bodyguards. "We have a lovely guest in the house. The one and only, Eliza!"

The audience, along with the owner, Page, and Morello, clapping like crazy. You do the same as a sign of respect. Bud played the opening bars of Alone Together but stopped after the first A section ended. "After we all clear out, she'll definitely give you another earth-shattering performance. Whether or not she'll be better than us is up for debate, however."

Morello immediately played a ba-dum-tss after you finished. The crowd laughed in response, some even agreeing through murmurs that didn't go unnoticed by Eliza. "It's all in good fun. Now, what oh what should we play last?"

Page pulled on your coat to get your attention as she's been sitting the entire time. "C'mon, Boss! Uptown-Downtown! We're ready for it!" she insisted with a whisper.

"We don't have a melody written for it yet, Page," you countered.

"We actually do, Boss," Sonny then pitched in. "Morello and I co-wrote it, and it works wonders with the bassline changes you put together."

Your expression said it all. "Morello. Is this true?"

He nodded. "Yup. I heard you hum an entire A section back at the apartment the other day, so I brought it to Sonny, and we built the entire melody around it. We all practiced it while you were finalizing the gig! We all know the form, the changes, and the melody. We're ready, Boss."

"Y'all are awesome," you said with pride before turning your attention to the crowd. "We got one more song for you all tonight! And," You said, motioning for the fans to lean in. "This is the first time we're playing this live. Consider yourselves special. This is a song we all had a hand in writing. I wrote the bassline and changes. Sonny, Morello, and Bud came up with the melody while Page did the backgrounds. This has been in the making for a long time, and I'm proud to finally have it ready for you all tonight. This song is called Uptown - Downtown."

An ovation erupted right from the start. Wow, the people are really into it tonight. You glanced at Morello. "How fast did you want it?"

"Up," was his answer, and that's all you really needed to hear.

You nodded before counting it off. Gazing into the crowd, you see Eliza, her staring at you as you get comfortable. Then, she gave off an alluring wink, and a blow kiss. Luckily no one can see your eyes so you roll them, brushing it off before focusing your attention on the crowd.

"Alright, it's been a blast, everyone. See you on the other side. Uptown - Downtown! 1,2,1,2,3,4!"

**(Play Uptown - Downtown by Rene McLean)**

The melody began without any type of pickup. The reason why you called it Uptown - Downtown was because you wanted to insert a form of chaos. And Morello and Sonny did a fantastic job of incorporating that feeling.

When the group played through the beginning of the melody, it felt well constructed, if not linear. It sounded like we were in uptown New Meridian which is what the song is based off. But oh boy, when you got to the next section, the complete construction gave way to controlled chaos, like we were in the slums. Then the final half of the form seemed like you were heading right back up to Uptown. When you all ran through the melody again, you picked up speed just a hair, and dare I say a little less controlled. You all finished, and Bud decided to take charge, being the first to play the changes.

Bud played some beautiful lines to start off, taking the track's theme and incorporating it into his playing. He got to the second half of the song before playing longer lines, even putting in a couple of nutty runs. When the form was ready to loop, Bud built the control back up, making his theme incorporation more apparent. The second section of the form sounded chaotic, a wicked line discordant with the changes that worked beautifully, ending with a pseudo piano roll. He kept playing the same notes until the melody was ready to loop again, complimenting the start of the song that capped off his magnificent solo.

Sonny was next, and he left nothing on the table. He blazed with lines, licks, and runs from his first measure. What he brought was intensity while his solo kept going, the tempo steadily increasing. Usually, this would be bad, but in this case, it worked. Everything the group did was intense as the heat rose continuously. He took a quick break to let the rhythm section do their thing before coming back into it without missing a beat. He started his final chorus, and the tune was nearly flying off the hinges, the crowd getting into it. They were all snapping and stomping with your group, whistling in amazement. Sonny was finishing his last chorus, turning to look at you. He wants you to play through the changes? Well, you never did it before, but here goes nothing.

Your solo started slow, playing little compared to Bud and Sonny, but still incredible to hear. You enforced its chaotic nature, creating tension and releasing it at different levels as the choruses were building. Into your second chorus, the chaotic side came out sooner and stayed longer but disappeared in the same spot as your last. Your third chorus, you decide to be chaotic for nearly the entire form. While Bud chose to keep the chords contained, Morello followed you through the buildup with no hesitation. You reached the final four bars and cap it off by playing the same eight-note run a few times before playing the last lick, which brought the melody back to the forefront.

As Sonny started playing the melody, the tempo considerably faster, the crowd enjoyed every bit of what you were doing, all bobbing their heads in rhythm. As you all got ready for the second time through the melody, you change up the bassline. As you did so, Morello switched the backbeat, so it matched your rhythm, and it sounded absolutely genius. As the melody concluded, Morello played a bunch of hits in conjunction with the last few lines, and Page played a quick solo to take it out. Sweat was over all of you, the heat finally catching up as the song came to a brilliant end.

The crowd absolutely exploded with applause, another standing ovation as Page, Bud, and Morello stood up. You all bowed at the same time before saying your goodbyes.

"We're the Maplecrest Quintet, Ladies and Gentlemen! Thank you so much for having us! Until next time!" you bid farewell with gratitude as the crowd didn't stop applauding the performance.

If they didn't stop soon, the owner would blow a gasket. (much to the group's delight) He didn't (much to the group's disappointment), calmly asking the crowd to give your group another round of applause, which they happily did.

"Alright, we're going to give the Maplecrest Quintet ten to safely pack up, then we can get to Lady Eliza. How does that sound?" the owner asked the audience, to which they perked up.

The group took a minute to catch their breath, Uptown - Downtown definitely tired the group out, yourself included.

"Good work, everyone," you ended the silence before wiping yourself off with a towel. "I think we definitely earned our paychecks."

"Say, Boss," Morello got your attention. "What are you doing after this? Jean wants to go out for dinner." Morello asks. You raise an eyebrow, suspicious.

"Is Jean trying to set me up with another blind date? I told her to stop doing that. Plus, I'm not going anywhere, save for my apartment. After what just happened, I'm going to be taking the longest shower in recorded history," you said definitively.

"Boss, you need some lovin' too. You spend too much time practicing your bass, you need a girlfriend!" Morello responded.

"I can look for romance on my time. Not tonight," you stated.

"C'mon, Morello. We all know that Boss's first love is the bass he's carrying," Page came to your defense. "Besides, I've seen the women Jean pairs him up with. Not the prettiest women I've seen." Bud and Sonny started snickering at that comment.

"Hey, that's my wife!" Morello nearly yelled.

"Yeah, a horrible matchmaker. C'mon, we gotta finish packing, so Little Miss High Class over there can take the stage," Page stated about Eliza.

You all got your things packed, Sonny's many instruments taking a chunk of the time before heading to the elevators. The owner of the floor managed to pull you all aside, the others waiting.

"You did a kick-ass job tonight, Shaggy! Your group sounded killin', especially that last song. Uptown - Downtown, right?" he inquired.

"Yeah. It definitely was a burner." You got straight to the point. "So, when are we getting paid?"

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. I got all your paychecks right here," he said before pulling out separate checks for our work tonight, handing it to each individual. "And I even through a couple extra hundred dollars for bringing the audience to their knees."

It was at that moment, you all compared each other's payments and notice something peculiar. Everyone received equal pay, but your own check was significantly more than the others.

"Hey, what's up with my check? Mine has a lot more money than the others do!" you pointed out, annoyed at what you initially thought was leader bias.

However, the owner broke it down for you. "Eliza put an extra 300 in your check specifically. She also said, and I quote: 'To call me later.' A lucky bastard is what you are, Shaggy. To pique the interest of the hottest singer in New Meridian? Luck I'd say. That's why your check has more money on it. She insisted."

You ruffled your shaggy hair and took a deep breath before your eyes looked back at Eliza sitting at her table with Horace and Albus. That familiar smirk of hers wasn't fooling you after everything she put you through. She noticed your stare and winked playfully at you again. Though no one could see it, your eyes rolled at her flirty nature.

"C'mon guys. Let's get the hell out of here," you bluntly ordered. "Thanks again, Barkeep. Hopefully, you'll hire us again, eh?"

"After tonight? You bet your ass! Now get lost," he said before pushing you all to leave.

As you all entered the elevator going to the first floor, the talk amongst the group revolved at what just happened as we were departing.

"So, are you going to keep the extra money, Boss?" Sonny asked you.

"What? No! I'm splitting it with all of you," you immediately declared. "There will be no bias in this group."

"But how are we going to split 300 dollars among five people?" Morello asked.

A blank expression graced your face at the question."We each get 60 dollars. 60x5 is 300.".

"Oh, right! Huh, I must be more tired than I thought. My brain must've turned off," he responded.

"Wait, you can turn your brain on?" Page shot, earning laughter from everyone.

"It's odd, Shaggy." Bud got your attention. "Eliza has been trying to get your attention a lot lately. What's up with that?"

"Yeah. That is a little odd, eh?" Page interjected.

You take a deep breath, knowing this was going to take a while to explain. "Eliza's trying hard to get my attention because she wants me to be her bassist."

Everyone couldn't believe what I just said. "Whoa, Boss. How come you didn't do that?" Morello was first to speak after that. "You could've been raking in boatloads of cash."

All eyes were on you after you revealed that tidbit of info. "I used to be Eliza's Bassist."

Gasps resonated within the tight space, which wasn't surprising. "I was hired by Eliza when my hair didn't cover my eyes, my skill nowhere near where it is now. She fired me, which was why I started focusing more on my craft."

"How long ago was that?" Sonny asked.

"Two years ago. Being Eliza's sideman is not a fun job. The experience nearly made me quit being a musician altogether. She ditched me, thinking I was no good. A few months after I started doing freelance jobs, being Eliza's former sideman was enough to get me decent employment. But you know you've improved a lot when even the crowd notices the difference. I was making headlines. After I started making the news, Eliza tried getting me to come back, but I refused multiple times," you gave the full story.

"Wow, Boss. That's some story," Page remarked. "I imagined that working for Eliza is hell, but now hearing it from you? I definitely believe in every word. So, you were freelance for two years before you joined us?" You nodded. "And landed enough gigs to make a comfortable living?"

You explained that working for Eliza opened a lot of doors, as hellish time spent with her was. So when you became a freelancer, you had plenty of opportunities. And when people started noticing how good you were, the work and money really piled up. You could've made a career of not being a part of a group.

"Then why join up with us then? You for sure could have a career being freelance." Bud pointed out.

"Because," you started. "You four are the first group who actually care for the craft. None of the other musicians I played with shared the same amount of passion you four do. So I want to see you all do big things. And with me being here, the only way we can go is up."

"Damn, Boss. you're gonna make me cry." Sonny said as he checked his eyes.

*DING*

The elevator reached the first floor and came open.

"Well, everyone. Thanks for listening to my elevator pitch," you joked, gaining a laugh from the others.

Everyone cleared out of the elevator so others could get in, and you all make it outside. It's a little chilly you should've brought an actual coat. Luckily, your place isn't too far from the establishment.

"You guys should get to Maplecrest before the streets clear out. We'll talk tomorrow," you instructed.

As everyone went their separate ways, the four heading back to the hotel they were staying at, you start walking to your apartment. A job well done, Shaggy! You should be proud of yourself.

After making it back to your apartment and taking a well-deserved shower, you head to bed.

The next day came rather quickly. When you wake up, as you were doing warmups on your bass, your phone started ringing. You pick it up, the caller ID indicating it's Sonny.

"Hello?" you answered the call.

"Boss, Boss, Boss!" he yelled, causing you to push the phone away temporarily.

That was going to sting for a while. Sonny was still loud on the mic, so you put the phone on speaker mode. "Sonny! It is 9 A.M.! Aren't there still people sleeping in your condo?"

Momentary silence occurred until Sonny responded. "Oops. But I'll apologize later! We made the radio!"

"Wait... What?" you stood stunned.

"You heard me, Boss! We made the radio! Every station in New Meridian is talking about the gig we played last night! People are losing their minds! Some are even saying that the performance was worthy for album of the year!" he said.

"But we don't have an album," you protested.

"I know! Turn your radio on, and call me or the others back!" Sonny instructed before abruptly hanging up the phone.

Seeing as you had nothing else to do, you turn on your radio. Much to your surprise, Sonny was right. They were talking about the Maplecrest Quintet.

"Good morning, all you listeners. I'm personally still recovering from one of the greatest live performances I've ever attended. At River King Casino inside Medici Tower, the Maplecrest Quintet gave one wicked performance. While their set was short with only three tunes, they carried themselves last night as opening acts though it felt as if they were the main attraction."

Honestly, the way you and the others were talking about potential songs to play, you could've gone for hours.

"The first track the group was a composition called Nita, which followed a simple AABA song format. The solo players took command from the start. Sonny played two solos with different instruments blew. That alone blew my mind as well as the audience. Not to undermine Page, Bud, and Morello's solos. They were all great. In fact, the only gripe I have with Nita was the fact Shaggy didn't take one," the radio host complimented.

You don't like playing over Nita's changes. The others knew this fact, and it was the reason why they didn't give you one.

"The next track was a beautiful waltz made by Bud, Aida its called. The melody, while simple, was mesmerizing as Shaggy played a gorgeous bassline and changed it the second time. I had a feeling it flew over some of the crowd's heads. But Shaggy, if you're listening, I noticed," he said. Glad to see someone did. "But as euphoric as the melody was, the solos were the true highlight, Shaggy's especially. He never really ceased to amaze the crowd. It takes tanuki sized balls to play changes with a bow, but they both sounded wonderful. The tension throughout gave me goosebumps and made my hair stand on end. Looking into the crowd, I think Aida spawned some sexual tension too. Couples who attended the show got busy when they got back to their homes."

Honestly, he could've skipped the fucking part, but praise is praise regardless.

"But the final tune they played was essentially a team project. The quality, feel, and mood on point. Uptown - Downtown, a song the entire group worked on, became the highlight of the entire show. How the group encapsulated that utopian suburban side only for it to descend into chaos so seamlessly and smoothly made it feel like we were all driving from Uptown to Downtown. The solos taken reinforced the feeling this song portrayed, the audience entranced throughout. I wish the song could've gone on forever. Luckily I didn't cry tears in the joint. All three songs received a standing ovation. Still, Uptown - Downtown truly brought the house down, and the set itself arguably outshined Eliza's entire performance. Goes to show that having authentic knowledge of the craft and having people who can express it can go a long way. The River King Casino gig will definitely be unforgettable for the right, or if you're an Eliza fan, the wrong reasons. More on the performance later," the radio host concluded before commercials came onto the air.

"What the hell?" You had to sit down after hearing all of that.

Putting your bass on the floor softly, you sit down on your couch. This was a lot to take in. I mean, you alone made the radio plenty of times. But after only one major gig, the Maplecrest Quintet was the talk of the town all morning. Plus, people have been saying that you all outperformed Eliza? She must not be too happy to hear all this on the airwaves. All the praise is making you uneasy.

"I need to get out of here," you mumbled to yourself as you grabbed a hoodie, your wallet, and phone before leaving your apartment.

As you walked the streets of New Meridian, your stomach began to rumble. It's noon, and you haven't eaten anything of great sustenance.

"I've walked for three hours already? Well, time for me to go get lunch," you said to no one. Or did you?

Nevermind. Since you're in Little Innsmouth, a Dagonian section of Downtown New Meridian, there should be a lot of places to eat. You scanned the surroundings, and you were right. Restaurants lined the streets as far as you could see. To your left was a small restaurant. In your time as a freelancer (who can't cook for shit), you realize that small eateries meant authentic cuisine for fair prices. You go inside to see what's going on.

Entering the little establishment, you saw a couple of tables to your left, an elongated table with revolving seats on the right. Not a huge crowd here, a few people eating, not paying any attention to you. Not that you're seeking it in the first place. The guy in the open kitchen you assumed was the head chef noticed your arrival and greeted you like a Downtown Dagonian who so happened to run a restaurant would.

"Ay, a new face! Welcome to my shop!" he greeted you. "Grab a seat! I'll send Minette to ya in a minute!"

He was a Catfish Dagonian (Human & Aquatic Animal Hybrid), so you assumed the food he made is oriental. Anyway, you take a seat at one of the tables and get comfortable, the seat's cushion doing an excellent job easing the noise from the radio report.

As you continued getting comfortable, a voice caught your attention. "Hi, what can I get for you?"

Looking to your left, you see another Dagonian, a female one. You can't make out what Dagonian precisely, but she had fish-like qualities. Jumping to conclusions, you presume this is Minette.

"Hey. This is my first time here, so I'll just have whatever the chef recommends," you said, loud enough for the chef to hear.

He laughed heartily. "Ha! I love it! Don't worry, buddy! I'll serve up somethin' real nice for ya!" You nodded before laying back in your seat as he went to work.

"Uhm, excuse me," Minette decided to make small talk, catching your attention. "Are you Shaggy, the bassist by any chance?"

Great. Now the few patrons here are gawking at you, mini conversations going on at different tables. You take a deep breath, cursing God inwardly for putting you in this situation.

"Yes, I am. Don't tell anyone. I'm just here for some food then heading right back to my apartment," you said.

Minette gasped, but before she can become a fangirl, the chef butted in. "Ay! Don't bug him, eh? He doesn't want the attention, so don't give him any! Go serve the other customers."

You planned on showing thanks by eating his food, even if it tasted terrible.

She bowed at the chef. "Yes, Yu-Wan." Minette then turned to you. "I'm sorry, Shaggy. I'm a big fan of yours and didn't mean to draw unwanted attention."

A shake of the head was your response."It's okay. You didn't mean any harm. But you should get back to work since your Boss is givin' you the stink eye."

Bowing again, Minette left me to serve another patron. Through your hair, you notice a feline Feral giving you a small nod in respect.

Yu-Wan, while cooking your meal, decided to chat you up. "So, Shaggy!" He started. "What brought ya out to Little Innsmouth?"

"Apparently, my group's performance at the River King Casino did so well that it became the talk of the radio all morning. I felt uncomfortable in my apartment, so I left to get some air. Ten minutes turned into three hours, and I got hungry," you answered honestly.

"Yeah, I was tunin' in myself! But that wasn't the first time you made the radio!" He eyed me curiously. "So why unsettled now?"

"Because it was the first gig we played and we're already on the radio. People keep saying we outperformed Eliza, who was the main attraction last night, which might lead to trouble down the road." You shrugged your shoulders. "Besides, me being a canine Feral, Human hybrid, I was bound to make headlines. But the others are from Maplecrest. So no one in New Meridian knows them. Well, now they do."

"You're a hybrid?" Yu-Wan inquired.

"What? Do you think my hair is like this normally? Oh no, it's because my pop is a Sheepdog Feral, and my ma is a human. I got most of my looks from her, but I got Pa's hair and facial hair. It doesn't look like it, but a few weeks ago, I had a Fu Man Chu," you describe yourself before lifting your hair so Yu-Wan, Minette, and the Feline feral can see your eyes. They were bright gold. So now they had perspective on how thick your hair really is. You let it fall back down, covering your eyes completely.

Sinking back into the chair, you loosen up a little more. Everyone else watched contently before going back to their business. Finally, having the spotlight away, you were looking forward to the great smelling food.

The time is now 12:30. You should head back to your apartment afterward and call Sonny again. A knocking sound caught your attention. Thinking it was your meal, you turn at the table, but you didn't see food. Instead, it was the feline feral from the other side of the room, now sitting across from you. She showed a pleasant smile.

"Hello," you spoke first. "And you are?"

"Nadia," she extended her hand.

You shook hands. Nadia had light tan skin and a white bob while black ears sprouted out. On her person was a black coat similar to your brown one. Her hands were clawed, which made sense she's part cat. And her canine tooth was more pronounced, extending past her lips.

"I heard your performance at the River King Casino last night. It was purr-fect," Nadia slurred.

That got a laugh out of you. "Glad you liked it. I guess even this dog's got some tricks."

She returned my laughter. "I think we're gonna get along just fine. So, how does it feel to be famous?"

You shrugged. "I'm not famous. Well-known is better in my case. People in New Meridian know me, but I can make a safe assumption that not a soul knows of me in Maplecrest, or in the rest of the world."

Minette came back and served your food. You, Nadia (known in the neighborhood as Ms. Fortune), Yu-Wan, and Minette all made conversation as you ate, and everyone got along well. You made a mental note to come back here when you weren't busy.

After eating and saying goodbye, you head back for your apartment, realizing it was late afternoon after spending the entire day at Little Innsmouth. Where did the time go? A ring from your phone notified you of an incoming call. As the last call, it was Sonny.

Oh crap! You forgot to call him back! You quickly answered the phone. "Sonny! I'm sorry I didn't call you back! I was eating at Little Innsmouth, and I lost track of time!"

"Forget about that, Boss! You need to get to Maplecrest ASAP!" Sonny frantically told you.

"Huh? Why?" You asked worriedly.

"I can't explain it now! Just come quickly!" he said before ending the call, leaving no time to accurately assess the situation.

You have no choice but to head to Maplecrest. Running as fast as you can to Downtown New Meridian, you managed to catch the next bus to Maplecrest. Sitting down, you grow uneasy. What could've happened in Maplecrest that made Sonny act up? Luckily, no one recognized you as you didn't want to deal with the extra attention. When the bus reached your destination, you jolt out of the bus, making a beeline for Sonny's apartment.

On the way, you encounter Page, who was on her knees in tears. She saw you and gave you a big hug. You softly grasped her shoulders while making eye contact, at least attempted to. Her eyes are red and puffy, indicating she must've been crying for quite some time.

"Page. What happened? Where's Sonny?" you asked her.

She sniffed a few times before trying to say something but couldn't. Immediately, you start thinking the worst yet refuse to show it. Instead, you comfort Page to settle her down. No doubt she's taking it the worst out of the others.

"It's okay. It's okay. Go to your apartment and try to relax. I'll see be there soon. Okay?" I instructed.

Page nodded frantically. "Okay. I'll see you soon, Boss." She then took off to her apartment.

You continued toward Sonny's apartment, your mind in a near panic. On the way, you see... oh no.

Numerous police cars and ambulances surrounded the vicinity. You book it faster and faster before finally making it to Sonny's apartment. Amongst the crowd, you finally see him and call for him.

He ran over to you, frantic and worried. "Boss! This is bad, man!"

"What happened? Where's Bud?" you inquired.

"He's at his house with his wife." His delirious behavior is concerning. "This is not good. This is not good."

"Sonny, calm down! What happened!?" You grabbed both his shoulders. "Sonny, calm down! What happened!?"

Before he could answer, a paramedic approached you two. "Are you Shaggy?" You nodded. "Come with me. There is something that you must see, unfortunately."

You follow him to the scene of the crime. Why did he say, unfortunately? Your heartbeat went faster than average. As you two draw nearer, three strands of police tape block off the area. Some of the cops seen, you recognized them as corrupt, bought out by the Medicis. Among them is Irvin, the only officer who actually upheld the law in a just way, a good friend with plans on becoming a PI soon. Godspeed to him. He doesn't look happy, his expression etched in sorrow. Inside the adjacent apartment laid the reason why Sonny was so frantic and Page balling her eyes out.

Morello and Jean... were murdered in cold blood.

Your eyes widened in horror, the corpses of your drummer and his wife strewn across the floor, deep cuts at their necks and arms. Morello also had a bullet wound in his skull. The scene shook you to the core, a chill running up your spine.

"They were killed a few hours ago. No one knows who committed these killings, and between you and me," the paramedic leaned into your ear. "The New Meridian isn't going to do shit since the Medicis have them in their pocket. There were signs of struggle from both victims, especially Morello. That's when the perpetrator decided to shoot him. Jean was next, fewer signs of a struggle between her and the killer."

You fluctuated between sadness, anger, and disgust. Grief because they were both only twenty-five years old. Anger, since the police's unwillingness to do their job, meant the Medicis had a hand in this tragedy. And disgust that you, Sonny, Page, and Bud were powerless to do anything.

The paramedic grasped your shoulder. "I'm not going to lie and say I know what you and the others are going through. But I'm deeply sorry for all your losses. We should clear the scene before the cops call in favors." He left after those words.

You kneeled down and take a final look at your now deceased friend, rage threatening to consume you. Neither Morello or Jean deserved this horrid fate. He was a great musician, but they were better people. Who could do such a thing, and why?

"I'm going to find who did this to you two. They will pay for this," you swore before standing up and leaving the scene straight for Page's apartment.

However, Irvin pulled you aside. "Hey."

"Sup, Irvin," you replied.

"I'm deeply sorry for your loss. We were all close, but Morello and the crew were even closer than Ben and I," he gave his condolences.

A deep breath left you, still shocked that one of your closest friends is gone alongside his wife. "Thanks, Irvin. You and Ben were really close to the Quintet, so you feel this pain too. But why would someone do something so heinous?"

"I do not know as of right now. But I plan on looking into it, even if the rest of the Department won't," Irvin confirmed.

You gave off a stern look. "If you need any help-"

"You'll be the first person I'll call. I'll see if I can get Ben in on it too." Irvin turned around and began walking away. "Safe travels back to New Meridian."

"Later, Irvin," you said before heading to Page's apartment.

When you get to her part of the complex, you knocked. "Page, it's Shaggy. Open the door."

To your surprise, Sonny was the one to greet you at the door. He came out and closed the door behind him. That alone meant that Page was still pretty torn up about the murders tonight.

"Is Page gonna be okay?" you asked.

He slowly nodded. "It took a while, but Page's finally asleep. What about you, Boss? You can crash here for the night if you want."

You shook your head. "No, we all need some alone time so we can cope with the loss. Call Bud tomorrow when you get a chance. I need to get back to New Meridian."

Sonny accepted. "We'll talk tomorrow, Boss." He says as he moved to go back inside.

"Sleep well, Sonny," you said your goodbye before Sonny moved back inside to comfort Page.

Taking the last bus back to New Meridian, all sorts of thoughts roamed your mind. Why would anyone come after Morello and Jean? Did a drug deal go bad? Was any money involved? There were too many possible scenarios in play and not a lot of facts and details surrounding this event.

You finally got back to your apartment, moving your bass out of the way before sitting on the couch, losing yourself in the news. Morello and his wife are dead. It's nearly impossible to believe but a harsh reality. You placed your hands over your face in disbelief.

"A shame," an unknown voice said.

Jerking your head up, you see no one. Great, now you're starting to hallucinate in your own space. Sleep will probably be hard to come by.

"Morello's death was tragic, Shaggy. No one will help you, and Irvin can only investigate so much before finding nothing but dead ends. Only you can solve his murder. Let me help you," the voice continued.

"I must be losing it," you mumbled to yourself, both hands shaking. Calm down, Shaggy. Nuttier things have happened in this world.

"You are not hallucinating, Shaggy. Look up," the voice requested.

Complying, you see a Vermillion colored Bird on one of the beams before it flew down, landing on your lap. "Greetings. My name is Suzaku."

You raised an eyebrow. "Like the Bird?"

"So you are familiar with the Four Symbols of Taoism. The Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise?" Suzaku mused.

"I know now," you admitted. "But what is a symbol of Tao doing in my apartment?"

"Are you familiar with Parasites?" she queried.

"Like, Ticks?" you asked again.

"Not that parasite. More aptly named Theons. Until a certain Parasite ruined our good name," Suzaku explained.

"Now, most who know of our existence call us Parasites," a smooth, masculine voice interjected from behind you. Turning around, you see a White Tiger lying on the couch. "I am Byakko."

"Are you all real?" You asked as you touched Suzaku's head, your hand not phasing through her body.

"We are very real, Shaggy," an older voice responded before revealing itself as a Black Tortoise. "Genbu's my name. Nice to meet you. We can give you the strength and positive energy needed to pursue Morello's murder."

You really had to question your sanity now. "Can anyone else see you three?"

"No, and there are four of us," another voice answered.

Wrapping around Suzaku was an Azure Dragon. "And now, the Four Paths of Tao are here. I am called Seiryu. Allow us to lend you a hand. Morello's death was wrong, and we wish to help you gain justice."

While not opposed to having help, you weren't sure if this was a good idea. "But wouldn't that mean possessing me? And wouldn't being host to four Parasites kill me outright?"

"Normally. But we all count as one Parasite. Therefore, if you agree, we won't kill you," Byakko said.

That didn't do much to convince you. "Why help me? How long have you been watching me?"

"Since you became a freelance Bassist to be specific," Genbu answered. "We're all big fans of your work. And we are all devout followers of altruism. You are a fair and a just man, Shaggy, and we can all benefit from this partnership. You become our host, and we'll all assist you in finding Morello and Jean's killer."

"And I won't be handicapped in any way?" you ask, still skeptical about this ordeal.

"Not at all. Otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation and would've possessed you without asking," Byakko answered bluntly.

You need to find Morello's and Jean's murderer, or else you will never rest easy again. If the Four Paths of Tao offered to help and all you need to do is become a Host, no detriment to your health (from them anyway), this was quite the offer.

You took a deep breath, only this was the only way to attain justice for close friends. "Alright. I'll be your host."

"You won't regret this, Shaggy. We are yours from now on," Suzaku assured before the Four Paths of Tao rushed and enter your body.

You could feel their power and wisdom swell within your body and soul. This was better than you could imagine. Tonight had brought an influx of emotions, both good and bad. However, despite this, you need to rest for tomorrow and tell the others of this meeting. There's no turning back. You'll do anything to gain justice for Morello. Now you have the power to get it. Best of luck, Shaggy.

You're gonna need it.

* * *

**A/N: And that concludes the first chapter of this test story, Through the Eyes of a Musician!**

**What do you guys think? Did you like it? Did you not? Let me know with a Review and or a PM. And while you're at it, check out my Profile and give my other stories a read, eh? I suggest the TLAD reboot or Gone, but Not Forgotten, as those are my most recent works. With that being said, I'm gone.**

**Bye!**


	2. 40 Days

**A/N: Chapter Two of Through The Eyes of a Musician is here!**

**A couple of things before we go ahead and boot her up. This will be a side project, so this will be one of the stories I'll consistently (used loosely) work on, the other being Gone, But Not Forgotten. I'm also writing Chapter 4 of Ultimate Adventure on the side. With that being said, I plan on restarting all my stories except this one, my SC story, Gone, and the TLAD Reboot. Stories, Wesley, the Druid that doesn't Belong, and Ultimate Adventure, will eventually be scrapped and revamped. Since I have evolved as a writer, I can't let those stories stay put.**

**On a lighter note, I'll reference anything in popular media as much as I possibly can. It's to honor the love and effort Lab Zero put into Skullgirls in the first place. I hope they eventually make a Skullgirls 2, but I guess the best way to show support to Lab Zero is to get Indivisible, but I'm broke af right now, so that'll have to wait. Plus, I plan on getting Pokemon Sword. That purchase takes top priority right now.**

**Lastly, every chapter will have the name of a Jazz Tune and detail what the section is about. That's going to be easy at first, but as the story continues, it'll probably get more and more difficult. Oh well, I'm not burning that bridge down, so screw it. With that being said, enjoy chapter two, 40 Days.**

* * *

It's been 40 days since Morello and Jean passed away, and the Paths of Tao became your parasite.

While the city has moved on, you and the others chose to remember his shortened life. Morello nor Jean had a funeral service, opting instead for you four to visit their grave and reading a mini eulogy in a place of your choosing. You all agree to have it at his apartment since no one will bother you all there. But that was about a week ago. Afterward, Maplecrest Quintet became the Morello Trio, but more on that later. Let's go back to his eulogy if it can even be called that.

* * *

**Trigger Flashback: Eight days ago, Morello's Apartment**

_The four of you were all in the location where Morello's and Jean's corpse were found. The place was cleared, all the blood mopped up. You all began the eulogy with a moment of silence for them both. After enough time had passed, you went into Morello's cabinet and took out some shot glasses. Bud grabbed some scotch and filled every shot glass. You handed Sonny and Page a drink before toasting his name._

_"To Morello," you announce._

_"To Morello," the others repeated. You all clink glasses and down the shots with ease._

_As you quickly wash the shot glasses, Page gets your attention. "Hey, Boss."_

_"Yeah, Page?"_

_"You should say something. Then we can get on with his will," she said._

_"Why should I do it?" you ask. "I knew Morello for the least amount of time out of us four."_

_"That's true, but you're the only one who can do something like this and not break into tears." Page pointed out._

_She was right. Despite the other's optimistic attitude, their sadness is just as intense, you and Bud being the exception. But Bud doesn't like to talk, a reason as to why you led the Quintet in place of him._

_You scratch your hair, defeated. "Alright, I'll say something."_

_You step forward and take a deep breath. "Morello was a pure soul, a good Samaritan, a man who wouldn't hurt a fly if he didn't have to. Doing harm on Morello is practically committing a crime against humanity. His death was uncalled for, not predicted. But instead of dreading it, Morello would want us to celebrate his and Jean's life."_

_"Boss, tell us something about his drumming," Sonny requested._

_Oh wow, his drumming? "Morello was a wicked drummer. Despite being the least experienced out of us all, he kept up and then some, showing an inhumane amount of improvement. The way he used brushes was so damn cool, going from left to right instead of right to left gave him a unique sound that I never heard from anyone else. It was as if his hands were blessed by Papa Joe Jones himself. And now the world can't hear the greatness that is Morello, the Lofty Drummer. The world was robbed of a rising star." You finished before turning to the others. "Is there anything else we should do before we leave?"_

_"Yeah, we should decide who gets what. Morello never really had any family in the city to give his things to. He also never wrote a will, so considering we're the only ones he really knew, we should take it." Bud answered._

_You nod in agreement with the idea. "Sounds like a plan. Page, you get first pick cause you knew him the longest."_

_She, as well as the others, nod in agreement. "Well then, I'll take the set and sticks."_

_The three of you voiced your disappointment at her decision. Each of you wanted to take Morello's set and sticks._

_Sonny jokingly placed blame on you. "Damn, Boss. Why'd you let Page go first? I wanted the set!"_

_"We all did," you shot back silently. "But Page and Morello were the closest out of everyone, so it only makes sense that she get his drums. You might as well as take his technique books too, Page. I can't speak for all of us, but I don't plan on learning the drums anytime soon. Sonny, you're next. What are you going to take?"_

_"I don't know yet. I need a couple of days to mull it over. This is still so surreal. You guys can go before me. I'm going to take a nap or something," Sonny answered before leaving Morello's Apartment._

_"I won't be taking anything either," Bud told you and Page. "I feel like this place should be treated like a Pyramid, nothing should be taken, as he'll receive it in his next life. But if you want to take something, Shaggy, then I won't stop you."_

_How thoughtful of him. It almost makes you not want to take something too. But you decided to anyway. Morello may have been green to the genre, but he showed a lot of promise, so you settled on his Manuscript Notebooks. Looking through his lost ideas is definitely something you'll have to make time for later in the day. One thing you didn't expect was for him to have so many. He had ten Manuscript Notebooks, considering he's played jazz for only a couple of years._

_"Hey, Boss?" Page got your attention._

_You turn to the silver-tongued woman."Yes, Page?"_

_"We should play something in his memory, like Celia. You know that was his favorite tune." Page suggested._

_That earned your confusion. "Who's going to play drums? None of us can play on a kit."_

_"I can. Morello has been teaching me since we were teens. In fact, I was the one who put him on to jazz drumming, considering I was doing it first. But I wanted to learn guitar, so I didn't do it as often. Since he's gone now, I might as well take up the mantle again." she told us._

_You couldn't believe it! You were with these guys for nearly a year, and you never knew that Page was the original drummer._

_"Page, you absolute badass." Was all you could say._

_She blushed openly. "Oh thanks, Boss. You wanna play something real quick? Then we can hightail it out of here."_

_You shrug. "Eh, why not?"_

_With that, you grab your Bass and take her out of the case. Morello had a Grand Piano in his living room, along with his set. Jean loved to hear him practice. And ever since the Paths of Tao possessed you they loved hearing you play, especially Genbu. _

"_Alright let's do this quickly. I don't want people to know we're here and then ask us to play a set or something." You admit to the others. _

"_I agree. Astrud and I have dinner plans tonight. Should we take an up tempo?" Bud asked you. _

"_Nah, let's just coast it." Page answered back. "Bud, can you give us eight bars up front?" _

"_We're a trio right now. You'll be playing with me." Bud answered._

"_That's fine. Right, Boss?" Page asked you. _

"_I'm okay with it. Just take one chorus before we take the melody out." You point out and Bud agrees, capping it off with a nod. _

"_Alright. 1,2,3,4." Bud counted off._

_**(Play Celia by Bud Powell)**_

_Bud starts playing the intro he wrote (since he wrote Celia.) at a nice, slow pace. He kept it quiet but still audible enough where you and Page can hear it. Your fingers pick the strings of your bass to compliment the phrases Bud was playing, and Page shadowed you on Morello's set. After repeating it three more times, he starts the melody proper._

_The main melody follows an AABAC format. When Bud wrote it initially, he meant for it to be a Piano feature, meaning the Piano was supposed to be the only instrument. Still, when you caught him playing it for his wife, you strongly suggested that it should be performed with at least bass and drums. After days of begging him, he finally conceded, but on the pretense that he leads it whenever Celia is played, which is something you happily acquiesced to. The modifications he came up with were beautiful sounding, so much that you attempted to write a contrafact with Celia's changes, but to no avail. (__**Fun Fact: I actually wrote a contrafact for Celia called Lola, and I played at my Jazz Ensemble's winter concert. Also, Celia was named after Bud Powell's daughter of the same name**__) When he makes it to the bridge, the complexity is dialed down a bit for its time. Compared to the A section, the bridge was much easier to comprehend. But being the guy he is, Bud still puts a couple of tricky phrases in there._

_After getting through that beautiful bridge and running through the final A section, the three of you get to the C section. You look at Page to see how she's doing and much to your surprise, and secret happiness, Page was keeping up with you with little trouble. After the final phase of the C section, you and Page break and give Bud two measures by himself before coming back in for his solo. He burns through playing a ridiculous sixteenth-note run then easing back into the changes._

_You and Page take a backseat as Bud Powell dances around his creation with relative ease. Putting a little bit of fun in his run-through, he sneakily plays The Lick during his first A section, which got a couple of snickers out of you. Before you can comment, Bud builds up for another quick sixteenth-note run into the second A. His ideas were simple. They all connected seamlessly as if what he played put you and Page into a trance as you both continued to play supporting cast to Bud as he makes it to the bridge._

_Taking inspiration from the first few measures, he quickly falls back to the repeated eighth-note triplets in the A section's melody. When arriving at the final A, he takes a simplistic approach playing lines and phrases that were naturally pleasing to your ears and like that you were back into the melody._

_A simple repeat just as you all did at the beginning, but you chose to tag the last measure instead. You all wanted to get out of here, and Page has a hell of a task getting Morello's drum set out of the house._

_"Boss, isn't it Sonny's last day in Maplecrest?" Page brings to your attention._

_You jolt your head up at the sudden realization, shocked at how fast this came about. "Shit, it is! It completely went over my head, and I told Suzaku to remind me."_

_Not too long after Morello's untimely passing, Bud, Page, and Sonny were offered by P.C., your former agent, a Tour deal. It was the best news you've heard in a while. You pushed the three of them hard to accept. Going on tour would give them so much experience. Still, after Morello died, you really wanted them to get out of New Meridian. If you caught wind that anyone else of these three or any of their families or friends perished, it would hurt you beyond human comprehension._

_Sonny agreed, P.C. is a man you can trust your child with if you had one. He has an eye for music, and he's one of the kindest souls you've ever had the honor of meeting. Add the fact that P.C.'s a superb bassist in his own right, as well as that he managed you before you taught on how to market and control yourself when you became freelance. The guy would take them to the top in no time at all with as little corruption as he could, which is a lot._

_However, Bud and Page refused. After they caught wind of the fact that you weren't going with them, they shot him down, despite everything I just told you. A tour wouldn't be the same without you, they said. After they caught wind that you were going to help Irvin with finding out who killed Morello and Jean, they definitely weren't going anywhere. No amount of pleading and begging and crying would change their minds. Even telling them that you were hosting four Parasites didn't get them to leave. They remained steadfast in their decision to stay in Maplecrest and New Meridian with you. You had a bet that they would do something like this despite them not knowing you for that long._

_So now, the Maplecrest Quintet became the Morello Trio. Sonny will be gone for who knows how long. Sonny, P.C., and whoever they get for Piano and Drums will be touring the entire country. Alaska and Hawaii included, so it was going to be you three for a while, not that any of you minded. You three are a powerhouse without brass of some sort. You would make do. But it was Sonny's last day, and he didn't want a send-off!_

_"Should we go to his apartment, wake him up, and drag him around New Meridian tonight?" you ask the others. They all wanted to say something but relented._

_"No. He wanted to rest up. Apparently, his first show is tonight, and P.C. wants them all out of New Meridian by Two O'Clock. And it's currently," Page mentions as she looks at the clock in the kitchen. "Two Thirty. So he's already gone. Not much we can do now. We didn't even wish him the best of luck."_

_You scratch your head. Goodbyes weren't your strong suit anyway. Probably for the best. "Well," You say with finality. "We should get out of here. I have to finish moving my crap out of my old apartment."_

_"Where are you moving to, Boss?"_

_"To an apartment farther away from Medici Tower. More space than the old one, and less monthly rent. Plus, a bigger discount because the landlady is a fan of mine? Practically a steal. But yeah, I started clearing out the old one yesterday, but I'm nowhere near done yet." You explain to Bud and Page._

_"Wow, Boss! Well, we won't keep you. Let us know when you're done moving in so we can check the place out!" Page mentions as she starts taking apart Morello's set._

_"I will. I'll talk to you both later." You say as you leave Morello's apartment._

* * *

**Present:**

Eight days later, you're nearly finished with moving everything out of the apartment. Bud and Page helped you not that you really needed it. Having The Paths of Tao, Byakko specifically, as your parasite, has pretty much made you superhuman. At first, it took some getting used to. For example, your bass playing, for a week while learning how to control this insane strength Byakko gave you. You ran through strings similar to bad food running through your stomach. It was funny at first, then it became annoying. Now, it's infuriating.

Luckily you became freelance for a bit before having Morello's service, and you made a lot more money where extra strings can be covered. But that didn't make it any less anger-inducing. You're more than happy that those days are done with. As you put the final item in the moving truck, you shut the back and give it a robust double-tap to let the driver know that it's good to leave the area.

"And so that is everything, Shaggy. What shall you do now? Will you head to your new place?" Genbu's shaky voice asks as he crawls up to your shoulder.

"No, not yet. Before I leave, I want to take a look at what Morello was cooking up in his Manuscript books. I won't get through them all, but I want to start chipping away at it today." You respond as you head back inside.

You technically don't have to turn your keys in until tomorrow, but you like being on top of things. You'll see what Morello wrote, practice a little, turn your keys in, then take the bus to your new apartment. A simple but effective plan, right?

If only things were that simple.

When you got back up to your apartment and took a seat, you grabbed the nearest of Morello's books and started from the very first page. At this point, Suzaku and Seiryu were on your shoulder and lap, respectively.

"You feel anxious, Charlie. Why so tense?" Suzaku asked as she called you by your real name.

Yeah, Shaggy is a nickname that your neighbors gave you due to your hair naturally covering your eyes. At first, you despised it, always cutting your hair short whenever the opportunity presented itself. Back then, you were such a stuck up person, and why now you don't like recollecting any part of that time even though it was only a few years ago.

"Have you guys ever possessed a musician before me?" You ask.

"We haven't. But what does that have to do with you being nervous?" Suzaku countered.

"Knowing and playing with a musician introduces you to at least two sides to that person. Them as a living being and an entertainer." You began. "I thought Morello never wrote anything until I found his notebooks. He played jazz in the shortest amount of time out of everyone in the group. And here we are about to see the types of tunes he wrote. It's like going to a place you know like the back of your hand, claw, or foot before finding a new room."

Surprisingly, the Paths, except for Genbu, gave off a look dumbfoundedness. Perhaps your analogy flew over their heads.

"Is the anxiety out of excitement?" Seiryu inquired.

You nod. "Looking into these books allows me to see a side of Morello I never got to bear witness to. Maybe Page, Bud, and Sonny have, but seeing as I only knew him for about a year, I haven't seen Morello write any music before. A shame he never told me when he was still alive."

Looking down at what filled the manuscript paper, you find a melody you didn't recognize as a standard of some sort. You can tell by the format it was a blues due to it having twelve bars and a repeat sign at the end. But what put you off were the changes. Morello wrote a minor blues, and from the way the notes were placed, it's pretty complicated too. If only you had a keyboard to play the melody. You look around for a name and find it at the top of the page.

Untitled Original #11383.

"He made 11,000 plus tunes!? How come I'm hearing about this now?" You say in surprise.

"Perhaps he was planning on showing these to you one day. But he's gone now, so he never had the opportunity." Seiryu assumed. "I cannot read music, but it must be a nice piece of work judging by the look on your face."

"It certainly is interesting. The melody is definitely original, and the patterns are pretty linear. But in this case, that's perfectly fine since it's a twelve-bar blues. Melodies for blues shouldn't be complicated since they're for flexing a player's solo ability. Make a complicated melody over a blues, musicians won't play it. And people don't like listening to it." You explain. "Look at the St. Louis Blues. It has the typical twelve-bar blues, but then there's an entire Latin section. At the time of its composition, it didn't make much sense, and it still doesn't. The point, Seiryu, is that simplicity in the form of a twelve-bar blues isn't bad and should be encouraged."

You look up and realize your clock was the last thing you packed. So you don't know what time it is.

"It is currently 11:00 A.M. Were you thinking of practicing right now?" Suzaku asked you.

Giving another nod, you stand up. The Paths all grant you space as you uncover your Bass from its case. Tuning it, you start warming up the instrument. After a few hours, you call it quits for the day and begin packing your Bass up.

The final hour of your residence in this old apartment is at hand. Everything else was here when you got the place, so you didn't have to bring furniture or a bed. You head to where the landlord's room is and turn in your keys. With that, you catch the next bus to your new apartment complex.

After arriving at your new place, you head immediately to your landlady's room to get your new keys. You knock on the door before waiting patiently. You talked on the phone a few weeks ago, and she had one of her realtors show you the place. Yet, you never met her in person. Anyway, you hear a voice and recognized it was hers.

"You may come in," she acknowledges you.

Opening the door, you walk inside. Upon seeing you, she smiles.

"Shaggy! It's good to see that you made it up here! Welcome to New Meridian Heights! I'm Lauren, the landlady. But my friends call me Hightower," she introduced herself, dressed as a stereotypical secretary. Maybe because she's on the clock.

"Interesting nickname. I'm here to pick up the keys to my room." You mention to her.

She nods in agreement. "Of course, give me a second. I also received the check in the mail for your first year of rent! I like a tenant who is on top of things like paying rent on time."

Hightower adjusted her glasses while walking to get your keys from one of the lockers. She unlocks it and grabs your keys before tossing them to you, lowly whistling as you caught them in one hand.

"Good catch. You may have noticed already, but the complex is pretty empty because you're the first tenant of the complex, considering the place was recently built. So while we look for more tenants, you'll be the only one here for a bit. Most would shudder at the thought, but I get the feeling you'll enjoy the peace and quiet," she assumed.

"Your right about that. Take your time finding new tenants." You joked.

"I just might. But don't let me keep you any longer. You must have a lot of things to unpack. Enjoy the new place, Shaggy. If you need anything, I put a sticky note with my number on your fridge. Any questions, problems, concerns, etc., etc., just call me." Hightower advised. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it is twelve, and I'm about to head out to lunch. Toodaloo."

To your bewilderment, Hightower practically shoved you out of the building before closing the door behind her. You scratch your head while looking at your keys. Indeed, the most casual out of every landlord/landlady you had. She seems kind on the surface, so long as you pay rent on time. That won't be a problem since you already sent her a check for a year's worth of rent. Brushing the thought aside, you head to your apartment number and using the keys, unlock the door to your new home. You get inside and scan the place. Suzaku and Byakko both look alongside you.

"This is certainly more spacious than your old apartment, Charlie." Byakko points out as he crawled around the place.

He was definitely right. The living room practically was the same size as the living room and kitchen of your old home. There was a door in front of you. Inside, you find the coat hangers. Good to know. Across from the kitchen is the stairs which lead to the bedrooms and bathroom. And finally, there are boxes everywhere, all your belongings inside them. You place your Bass down and inevitably start unpacking everything. Even with Byakko's new gift of strength, endurance, and stamina, it took a healthy amount of time.

You were slowly but surely getting used to the place, taking note that you'll need a vacuum since the floor is carpet instead of wood. Definitely a negative, but you'll make do. You were about 40% there as it reached 4 in the afternoon. You decide to take a quick break. Sitting down on the new couch, you glance at what you've done so far. Despite not being halfway done yet, the places you did fill up, looked terrific.

"It's looking good so far, Shaggy. At this rate, you'll finish before you head to bed." Seiryu complimented.

A smile etches on your face as you stand up to stretch a bit before unpacking everything else. About an hour into the second round of unpacking, you hear a knocking in your door. You didn't tell Bud or Page about you moving in yet. So who could it be? Looking through the peephole, you see Minette, Yu Wan, and much to your shock, Nadia. You open the door as they smiled.

"Hey, Shaggy!" Yu-Wan greeted you.

They all had food on their person. You point at the bags, and Minette explained. "Miss Hightower told us of your moving in, so we decided to leave the shop temporarily to give you some food as a housewarming gift. Can we come in? The food is weighing us down."

"Oh, sure. Do come in. I didn't finish packing everything yet, so you can just place the food on the counter or table, and you can head back. Don't mind me." You answer as you get back to unpacking your things.

It was then that Nadia got your attention. "Hey, Shaggy. Do you need some help? Or dare I say a _claw_?"

Despite the awful pun, it got a laugh out of you on reaction. "It wouldn't hurt. Thanks, Nadia. You're pretty pawsome."

Your retort earned a laugh and snicker out of the Paths save for Byakko, who rolled his eyes.

"Ha! That was a good one, Shaggy. We'll get outta your hair! Come on, Minette!" Yu-Wan spoke up. Minette nods before bowing at you and Nadia.

"Nice seeing you again, Shaggy. I hope to see you soon! Bye, Nadia!" Minette said her goodbyes before she and Yu-Wan leave you and Nadia to the unpacking of your new apartment. Soon enough, you two finished, and now you were hungry.

"How about we eat some of the food Yu-Wan dropped off for you? I don't know about you, but I'm starving!" Nadia commented as she playfully bumped her hip against yours.

"Definitely. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast. Hopefully, everything is still warm." You say as you grab a couple of seats for you and Nadia by the counter. She grabs a couple of Bentos and hands you one. You two began eating together.

What transpired 40 days ago was tragic. It had its upsides if not being bittersweet. The Maplecrest Quintet was on the fast track to becoming legitimate until Morello and Jean passed away. But it was also the day you met Yu-Wan, Minette, and the puntastic Nadia. You try to visit Little Innsmouth just to say hi to them, and you all got relatively close, especially with the cutie you're sitting next to.

"So, Shaggy?" Nadia caught your attention while you were still eating.

"So, Nadia." You respond aptly.

"How long were you gonna wait until you told me or the others about your bud Morello dying?" She asked abruptly. You stop eating so you wouldn't choke on your noodles.

"It was on the news and the radio for two weeks. I assumed you and the others knew before I told you." You answered honestly

You weren't wrong. Morello's death spread like a rampaging wildfire, especially in the music world. When you went out to eat, you had strangers who you knew didn't listen to you at all give you condolences. It angered you a little, as many people have said that no one cares about you until you're dead. You can name the people who actually cared about Morello on barely two hands. Even Eliza, who didn't even know Morello's name and couldn't care less called P.C. to let you know that she's grieving for you.

"I mean, you're not wrong," Nadia confirmed. "But if you were really our friend, _my_ friend, then you would've told us anyway. I actually understand how you feel. How it feels to lose someone close to you." She said sadly as she played with her noodles.

What could she possibly mean? Before you can ask her about what she said, your phone started to ring. You look at the caller I.D. and- oh shit! It's Irvin!

You quickly answer the phone as you stand up. "Irvin! I haven't from you since you left the New Meridian P.D.! Settling into the P.I. business well?"

_"I'm doing fine, Shaggy. I heard from Ben that you moved into New Meridian Heights! How're the new digs?"_ he asked.

"It's a lot better than the last spot, that's for sure. But what's up? You called me out of the blue." You inquire.

_"I found something that I want your help to confirm,"_ Irvin tells you. _"Since you're at your new home, you mind coming down a couple blocks to 55th Street?"_

"Sure, I'll be down there in a minute." You answer near instantly.

_"Cool. I'll see you soon."_ He said before hanging up the phone.

"What was that about?" Nadia asked you.

"My friend, a PI named Irvin, wants me to help him with something," you say before abruptly getting up, throwing on a hoodie, and grabbing your coat. "Don't worry, Nadia I won't be too long. You can stay here and get comfortable."

"Hey! Slow down! I'll stay here, but-" Nadia got up and pokes your chest with her index finger. "But don't do anything stupid, okay? I'll never forgive you if I catch wind that you died tonight."

You're blown back slightly by the sudden display of affection after her request. There's something about this girl that you can't get out of your mind. Sure, you've only just met, but she's given you a feeling no other woman has, not even Eliza. You softly stroke her hair, causing her tail to wag from side to side.

"I'll be careful, Nadia. I can defend myself if things go south." You reassure her.

Without even noticing, Nadia managed to wrap her hands around your waist, pulling her entire body closer to yours. So close that her chest mashes against your own. It was then her sapphire irises lock your eyes in place, holding them still.

"Okay. But for luck," Nadia whispered.

She leaned in before pecking you on the lips. You couldn't help yourself and did the same to her. Things got steamy as she nearly pounced on you for a second, much deeper kiss, her tail coiling around your leg.

A sudden sensation abruptly cut it off as Nadia broke away with a slightly disgusted look. "You taste like ramen."

"We did just eat noodles soaking up in a bento." You remarked, which earned a laugh from you both.

She pecked you one last time. "I'll be here. Now go, you shouldn't keep Irvin waiting." Nadia said as you headed out of your apartment.

55th street is only a block over, so it didn't take long to get to him. You spot Irvin hanging outside a dead-end alley. He sees you, and he puts out whatever he's smoking and calls for you.

"Shaggy, over here. Glad you could make it." Irvin greets you before walking down the alleyway.

"Sure, it was no problem. What was it you wanted me to see?" You ask as you follow him.

You aren't in a Medici populated part of New Meridian since the place isn't as nearly as popular as the area around Medici Tower. Most of the time, you adored the peace and quiet, but in this case, the silence was as chilling as the night time breeze.

When you reach the end of the alley, what you saw was definitely a wrench in the atmosphere. Another corpse with identical marks to Morello's! There were also glasses covering his eyes with spots of blood around his face. You came to the conclusion that his eyes were gouged out. Gross.

"Do you recognize this man? The wounds that caused his death are similar to Morello and Jean except that his eyes were gouged out and Morello getting shot in the head. Both deaths involved the victim's face." Irvin asked and then explained.

Getting a closer look at the victim. He was wearing a suit, and you noticed a drumstick out of his blazer pocket. He was a little wild and pretty skinny. You did know him.

"This is, er, was a Drummer named Hayes. He was a freelance drummer before joining a big band, New Orleans. They had a show tonight." You mention as you give the now deceased Hayes.

"Interesting. Where was the location supposed to be?" Irvin asked as he wrote down what you said in his notes.

You think really hard and quick about the potential locale, and when you remembered, it threw you for a loop. "...Medici Tower." You answer, which widens your eyes if people can see them anyway.

"These murders share the same wound, both victims were drummers, who performed recently at Medici Tower, and also had wounds involving the head or skull. You think one of your parasites can help specify the weapon?" Irvin suggested.

"I can." Genbu's shaky voice said as he hopped off your shoulder and landed on Hayes' chest to analyze the wounds. "It would seem that the wielder is right-handed from the direction of the gashes. The weapon was bladed obviously, but what isn't obvious is the fact that the blade is curved. If I had to give an educated guess, it would be a Khopesh."

"A Khopesh? Isn't that a weapon from Ancient Egypt? Where would someone in New Meridian get a Khopesh from?" You ask them both. (Yes, Irvin can see Genbu as well as any of the other Paths of Tao if they showed themselves. He's familiar with the supernatural, hell Ben is an Anti-Skullgirl Weapon, so he's well acquainted with stuff like this)

"That is beyond my power. But I'm one of the oldest living Parasites, so I know my weapons. Only a few Parasites have been around for as long as I have, and they're both dead." Genbu explained as he hopped on top of your shoulder.

Seiryu appeared and flew around you. "I can confirm this. My shelled brethren is the oldest recorded Parasite all the way back to Mesopotamia. Byakko and I came about after Laozi established Taoism. Suzaku came a few years after. Normally, Parasites would die with their host, but since we are of a spiritual plane, we don't follow the same rules. At any rate, if Genbu suggests a Khopesh, then 9/10 it's a Khopesh. If not, then he still in the right state of mind."

"Good to know. I'll ask around the museums in the city, see if they have a missing Khopesh or any other weapons with curved blades. Now, I have to go report this body to the Police who aren't corrupt. Thanks again, and sorry for taking so much time." Irvin thanked you.

"It's no biggie. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to give me a call." You reaffirm.

Irvin nods. "Don't worry. After tonight, I'll definitely give you a heads up if I spot anything. Goodnight."

He bid you farewell before walking out of the alleyway. You start for your apartment, and a question has been burning you since The Paths of Tao became your Parasite.

"Hey, Genbu." You call for the Black Tortoise.

"Yes, young'un?" He responds.

"In mythology, You have a Snake for a tail. I don't see one on your person. Is that part of your origin, false?" You ask.

"No, it's true. I did have a snake, but a fellow Parasite chopped her off. I have no idea where she is, most likely dead by now. But I applaud that you've done your homework, Shaggy. Possessing you was a smart decision, after all," his shaky old voice commented.

"You and the others aren't so bad either and are decent folk in my eyes. And with your help, we're getting one step closer to the truth." You point out as you got back to your apartment.

You open the door, and you call for Nadia. "Nadia? Are you there?"

No response. Odd, she said she'll wait for you to come back. You couldn't have been out for that long where she just left. You look around for a bit but eventually found her asleep on the couch in a fetal position. Wow, even sleeps like a cat.

You softly shake her while quietly saying, "Nadia."

She reacts a little, but she doesn't wake up. You shake her a little rougher, and she stirs but remains asleep. Before you can nudge her again, she starts talking.

"Shaggy, no stop it. I don't think I can take any more of you. You feel too good." She said softly but with a hint of maliciousness despite being asleep.

You felt your face get extremely hot. Was she planning on sleeping with you tonight? Not that you didn't mind, but it's looking like Nadia was dead set on the decision. You'll tease her about that in the morning. For now, you plan on getting some shut-eye.

Without waking her, you pick Nadia up and head upstairs to your room, somehow getting the sheets off with one hand. (Thank Byakko) Then, you tuck her in on one side before taking off your hoodie, coat, shoes, and pants before laying on the other side. You make sure to turn away from her so that she doesn't get the wrong idea in the morning. While getting comfortable, you feel a pair of arms and legs wrapping around your body, and assumed was a nose softly nudging your back.

"You came back. Sorry for falling asleep on your couch." Nadia gently expressed while half asleep.

"It's okay. You were talking in your sleep. And your thoughts were pretty lewd, Nadia." You whispered back, biting down a soft snicker.

"I know." She inched closer into your back, her lips tracing your neck. "I wanted you to bone me tonight to solidify our relationship."

Wow, you admire her bluntness, but more so _her_.

"How about we bone in the morning? That will be our official start as a couple." You suggest.

Nadia tenderly kisses your back. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot." She cuddles deep into your back. "Sleep tight, Shepherd."

"G'night, Miss Fortune."

The two of you fall asleep, doing your best to keep those erotic thoughts from going wild, lest all rational leaves, and you both screw each other until morning.

* * *

**A/N: And that ends Chapter 2!**

**What did you guys think? We got some more insight on The Paths of Tao, considering they are an Original Parasite that I came up with. A Khopesh may be the weapon that killed Hayes' and by extension Morello and Jean? Khopeshes are an ancient Egyptian weapon. Who in the Skullgirls verse is well acknowledged with Ancient Egypt? Hmmmmmm. We'll get some more insight about the Medici Murders on the next installment of, Through the Eyes of a Musician!**

**Did you guys like it? Did you not? Let me know with a Review or a PM and while you're at it, check out my Profile Page and give my other stories a shot! Maybe not the stories I mentioned at the introductory A/N but Gone, but Not Forgotten? For Sure.**

**Also, just a quick question. When I ask you to listen to a song through this story, in GbNF, or Stories, do you actually look them up? Just wondering, you don't have to do it. But I highly suggest that you do, especially for this story. Just a thought. Alright, I'm outta here.**

**Later!**


	3. The Thespian

**A/N: Chapter three of Through the Eyes of a Musician is here.**

**Before we begin, let's discuss the name as well as the last two chapters. Chapter One, "Groovin' High?" was named after the Dizzy Gillespie tune, "Groovin' High." I added a ? to better fit the tone of the chapter, what with Morello dying after the Maplecrest Quintet's first successful show.**

**"40 Days" isn't usually a song, but Dave Brubeck made a song called "40 Days," which I used to show what happened 40 Days after Morello died.**

**Now we're in Chapter three named "The Thespian," a tune written by a pianist named Freddie Redd, known for creating the soundtrack for the film, "The Connection."**

**Now with the history lesson out of the way, let's start the chapter.**

* * *

It wasn't Nadia's newfound loving clutch over your body that woke you up but a loud ringing noise coming from your phone. Groggily, and without waking Nadia up, you lean down and stick a hand into your pants' pocket to get your phone. Looking at the ID, you see that it's Bud. Reluctantly, you pick it up.

"Hello?" You barely get out as being awake isn't something you are yet.

_"Shaggy? You sound like you just woke up."_ Bud greeted.

If looks can kill. "You calling me woke me up. I had a nice dream too. What is it that's so important that you had to call me at 6:00 am?"

_"Sorry 'bout that. Astrud is shooting for a movie around noon. Apparently, the crew needs a Guitarist, a Pianist, and a Bassist to play a small role. Page is already up for it, you doing anything today?"_ he asks.

"No, cause it's 6 in the morning. Text me the address. If I need to bring my own stuff, I will," you accept bluntly.

_"Thanks a bunch. There's also an open mic at the Club across from the Grand Cathedral on 35th. I was thinking the three of us go down there and play a couple of tunes, see how the crowd feels about us being a trio."_ Bud suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you later." You say before hanging up and leaning back into your pillow, hoping to get a couple more hours of sleep.

Your new girlfriend, however, had other plans.

Using her tail, Nadia pulls you in so that you two practically shared the same breath. And unlike you, she's wide awake, a twinkle of mischief apparent in her eyes.

"Did you think that I forgot about you?" Nadia asked with a malicious smirk.

You sigh, already defeated before the battle even began. "No, but can't it wait for when I'm actually awake?"

Your protest fell on deaf ears as Nadia placed a hand over your lips. "If you wanted to sleep in, then you should've fucked me last night."

Making one last-ditch effort to escape, you try to kiss Nadia on the forehead, but she blocks you. Not the most conventional way to start a morning, but there were worse places you could be.

Nadia wagged her finger. "Nuh, uh. Kisses are for the lips and down below only." Her face inches closer to yours, a scarlet blush covering the entirety of her face. "Let me get you started."

She then mounted you, both legs straddling your waist. Using your hands, Nadia guides them upward to her cerulean tube top, and you both played a part in taking it off to reveal...

Oh my.

Nadia's stomach is as flat as a straight angle with curves that would make glorified supermodels jealous. Her flawless chest definitely left you breathless. Taking advantage of your shock, she takes your hands and places them over her B sized breasts. You were definitely awake now, and apologies for being graphic.

But you were going to fuck her guts out.

**Warning! Lemon Incoming! If you want to ignore it, keep scrolling until you see the All Clear! Otherwise, Happy Reading!**

Sitting up, you quickly move in and start sucking on her breast, wrapping a hand around her waist to prevent Nadia from going anywhere. You feel her hand around the back of your head, pushing you deeper into her bosom. Taking her breast out of your mouth, you lick her nipples, arousing them (and her) quickly. Nipping upwards, starting from her cleavage before your lips start climbing sneakily up her neck.

Savory moans escaped Nadia's lips as you passionately continue, giving her the attention she's been craving for who knows how long. Pausing briefly, you go for another kiss, but Nadia pounces first, pushing you down to the bed. Her tongue slips into your mouth and melds with yours, strands of saliva lazily sliding down your cheeks. Drops of sweat trickle down each of your bodies. You didn't stop as you move down to suck her other breast as she uses the headboard as support, her arms shaking in excitement.

Reversing the situation messed up the bedspread, but that couldn't be more secondary to what is happening right now. You reach out to strip off Nadia's pants as you are already in your boxers, but she stops you.

"Let me, stud," she says before seductively unbuttoning her pants before pulling them downward, revealing a very arousing fact.

No undergarments.

A malicious grin spread across your face. "No panties, Nadia?"

"Nuh-uh," she says as a combination of her tail and her hands pull you down for a passionate kiss.

Her hands roam, memorizing the sculpture that is your back muscles before stopping at your boxers. She carefully pulled them off, stifling a gasp as her hand gripped your manhood.

"It's just as big as I imagined." Nadia's whisper fills your ear. "I don't think it's going to fit entirely inside my little pussy."

Your cock throbs on reaction as you gaze at her walls. Everything looked symmetrical, her bush was neatly trimmed as a single strand points down at an inch of paradise. A dark blush sprouts across your face, Nadia using a finger to push your chin up so that you two stare at each other, a flustered look that mirrors yours. For a moment, you just stare, taking in what each of you saw.

Nadia saw a man who accepted her despite a noticeable disfigurement despite not knowing how to relate to you in the sense of a friend's death. And above all else, her _awful_ puns.

On the flip side, you saw an absolute treasure. A woman who rarely does this, let alone so soon after you met her. Although you're still somewhat of a mystery to her, you cared for her. You would be emotionally damaged beyond human comprehension if she were to leave. It was at that moment you realized...

You love her. There was no doubt you did.

Finally, Nadia broke the silence, commenting on her bush. "D- do you like it? I trimmed it for you."

The question prompts you to look back down at it briefly before looking back at up at her. "You did?" Was all that you could say. "I love it."

She sheepishly laughed. "I'm glad. I would tell a joke but don't want to ruin the moment."

You peck her lips. She's absolutely precious. "I love you," you blurt out.

However, you quickly regret saying those words. It was way too early for such a declaration. But being turned away, all Nadia did was take your dick in her hand, stroking the organ slowly. Her blush became deeper than before.

"I love you too," she softly said before aiming your cock at her sex and guiding it in.

Nadia cringes at first but managed to acclimate to your size, proving she isn't a virgin. Good thing you weren't expecting her to be pure, not that it made any difference at all.

She places her palms over your face, thumbs circling your cheeks. "Please continue. I want you so bad."

Complying, you move while keeping Nadia's body still, both hands settling on her hips. You push to test her reaction, a small wine followed by a moan. Then you began to build a slow rhythm, love placed in each thrust.

"Yes. Yes, Yeah," Nadia thoughtlessly voices her happiness.

She repeatedly moans as she slowly wraps her legs around you, careful not to tighten her hold and restrict your movements. You can tell from her expression (and sounds) that she's enjoying this, causing you to smile.

"Fa- fa- f-ff" Nadia tries to request but was too stunned by the pleasure to finish the word she wanted to say.

Concluding that she wants you to go faster, you grant her wish. Moving quickly, you can feel her hands trying to grasp onto something. They accidentally claw at your back, which only serves as motivation to thrust faster and harder. Grabbing on the sheets, you reach a comfortable tempo, the grip as hard as she claws. Feeling yourself inching near a climax, you instinctively pull out of her heavenly vice as you lie down beside Nadia. You don't feel tired, though. The Paths of Tao must be the reason why. Nadia started climbing on top of you before clutching your dick while sitting on her stomach, her legs and wagging tail in the air.

"Are you almost done?" she asks. You nod.

"Okay, let me take care of you. Most cats hate nuts, but I'm not most cats," Nadia drawled seductively.

She wasted little time sucking on your love organ, bobbing back and forth at a lovely pace. Out of nowhere, she picked up the pace, occasionally deepthroating your sex, your moans serving as music to her ears. And just like her pace, your seed ejected violently in her mouth. It froze her in place, but her face didn't view shock, euphoria instead. With a satisfying 'pop' sound, Nadia let her mouth release your dick, and she made a big gulping sound.

Opening her mouth revealed that Nadia swallowed your entire load. Your synced breathing heavied by the loving act of coitus. You look up at your ceiling as Nadia sneakily slithers up and started snuggling up against you before giving you a kiss on the cheek.

**All Clear! Now get back to reading, Killjoy.**

You two embrace as you both look at the mess you two made of the bed.

"You were amazing," you compliment your girlfriend playfully, poking her nose.

She kisses you quickly on the lips before things escalated into round two. "So were you. Do you really gotta go to wherever Bud invited you?" She trailed your shoulder down to your bicep. "We could stay in all day..."

You rub her shoulder. "I'd love to, but it's for his wife. She's an actress and singer."

"What's her name?"

"Astrud."

Nadia gives you a shocked look. "Bud's wife is Astrud? Isn't she like a rising star in the vocal world?"

"Yes. The voice of an angel if I ever heard one. She's a lead in a film, and Bud got Page and myself a small part. I have to go because money is on the line. You can stay here if you want," you offer in turn.

She lazily licks your cheek. "Love to, but I gotta go to Little Innsmouth. I work there, after all. After that's done, come by and say hi. Oh, and if you can, try to get an autograph from Astrud."

"You're a fan?" you inquire.

"No. Minette is, though. She loves Astrud's work." Nadia answers.

That makes sense. Minette was ready to faint when she first met you. You nod, agreeing to it.

"Thanks, Shepherd." She pecks you on the lips once again. "You mind if I take a shower?"

"Go ahead. I don't have to be at the set until noon," you remind her.

"Awesome, I won't be too long," Nadia said before grabbing her clothes. But then, she stopped just before reaching the bathroom and turs back to you, a devilish smile appearing. "Matter of fact, why don't you join me?"

You raise an eyebrow. "But what about your job?"

"They'll be there when I'm done. Plus, you're mine until noon anyway." Nadia toys with you by wagging her tail, signaling you to follow. "Besides, I want another round."

"Oh yeah?" you challenge her.

That prompted Nadia to get jump back on the bed before straddling your waist, a malicious smile sawing her face in half. "Oh yeah."

She kisses you deeply, pushing the both of you back onto the bed. Moans escape each of you, and it's clear that another round of lovemaking is on the horizon.

* * *

**An hour later:**

Afterward, you shared a relaxing shower and got dressed together. It led back to the couch where Nadia cuddles close to you. It was then that she had to leave for Little Innsmouth for work. You escort her to your door.

"I'll see you later at Little Innsmouth?" she requests.

You nod. "If the shoot goes by quickly. I'll make sure I get that autograph for Minette if I do come by."

"Okay. I'll see you soon." Nadia said before pecking you on the lips.

With that, she leaves your apartment. You close the door and look at the clock which read Ten O'Clock. You still had a couple of hours before you had to head to the movie set.

But to think you and Nadia would end up screwing for three and a half hours... You had stamina before the Paths of Tao possessed you, but this was ridiculous. Not that you were complaining. She was a marvel in bed.

Byakko then crawled onto your shoulder. "She has a lot of stamina for not having a Parasite herself. Despite her frequent orgasms, she kept coming back. She's certainly a keeper, Charlie." He sat on the couch. "Then again, she is a Feline Feral, so that may have a part in her extended stamina. But she kept up with you, and I have given an endless pool of it."

"Yeah," you say before summoning all four. "I've got a couple of questions for all four of you if you don't mind."

"What did you wish to ask us, Shaggy?" Seiryu asked.

"I know Byakko gave me superhuman like qualities but is there anything else you granted me? And what do the rest of you give me?" You ask.

You never asked this before because you never really needed to know. The Paths of Tao, besides Genbu, can't help you with the investigation side of finding Morello's murderer. But since this is a life partnership, you should probably know what each of them does.

"Ah, we've been waiting for you to ask. There's much to cover, but over the centuries, we have found a way to simplify the explanation. Allow Genbu to tell you what he does first." Byakko clarifies.

Genbu crawls on your shoulder as he usually does. "We gifted you two effects — passive and active. My passive effect is thicker skin, akin to a tortoise shell. The active effect is pain annulment. When I admittedly remember, I can null the pain from injuries. Alas, it is not as potent without my better half, Huyen the Snake. But regardless, I will make sure I do my part when needed."

"As for me," Suzaku piped up. "Both of my abilities are passive. You now have control over the element of flame. You can create it from nothing, manipulate an existing one, absorb, extinguish, and breathe it. The flame holds no control over you, although we should train you in learning how to master and control it. As for my other passive effect, I speed up recovery on all of your wounds. Remember when you were making passionate love to Nadia, and she clawed your back?"

"Yeah, I ignored the clawing, though," you answer, not keen on relaying that info to them.

"Well, I healed those for you about a minute after you received them. Your welcome, by the way," she finishes.

"I granted you speed and agility," Seiryu followed, flying around the room. "You move faster, jump higher, have faster reactions, as well as a metaphorical third eye and sixth sense."

"You already know of the increased strength and stamina I have granted you. But you also more ferocity in the face of adversity. Meaning, if you find yourself in a battle, I gift you the ferocity needed to strike down those who would oppose you and us." Byakko said.

Interesting. You should make time for Suzaku so she can teach you how to control your pyrokinesis. You look at your phone and see a text from Bud.

_"They provided the equipment for us: a Bass, Piano, and Guitar. Dress Code is casual. Set is on 13th Street."_

You look at the clock, and it says 10:30. You should practice a little before you head to the set. As you unpack your Bass, you thought about your conversation with Nadia last night, stating that she lost those close to her as you did. That ate away at you.

You didn't ask her about it because you didn't want to kill the vibe. Maybe that's why she said I love you back. Whatever happened to her must've been a reason why she grew close to you so fast. Perhaps she mirrors your feelings. You met the Little Innsmouth Crew before you caught wind of Morello's passing. You and Nadia becoming an item was bound to happen. But it was through Morello's death that accelerated the bond you two formed.

"Charlie? What's on your mind?" The Vermillion Bird asks.

You shake your head before warming up. "Nothing important."

After warming up sufficiently, you grab your coat and take the bus to the set on 13th. When you arrive there, Page and Bud notice you.

"Boss! Over here!" Page calls for you. "You came on time. Bud told you that you didn't need your Bass?"

"Will I have to go back to my apartment?" you inquire immediately, already annoyed.

"No. Too bad the guitar sounds like glorified dogshit," Page says. "C'mon, Astrud is putting her makeup on. We can have a quick sesh in the meantime." You shrug as she leads you in.

Bud, sitting by the piano doing some runs, notices the two of you and gets up to greet you.

"Good to see that you showed up. The way you were talking to me this morning sounded like you were going to sleep in." Bud acknowledged.

You took a deep breath. "I was going to, but my girlfriend had other plans."

That shocked both of them."You gotta girlfriend!?" Page nearly yelled, prompting you to shush her. "Sorry, Boss. What's her name? Is she cute?"

"Her name's Nadia, and I would think she's cute," you bluntly answer.

"Nadia. You gotta take us to meet her." Page insists.

"Don't surround him, Page. It must be a new relationship if we're just hearing about it now. Give him time to ease into it." Bud came to your defense. "Astrud should be out in a few minutes. If you want, we can play something in the meantime."

"Sure. How about Tea for Two?" you suggest.

"Oh, that's a good one, Boss!" Page agrees.

Bud nods. "Tea for Two it is."

He sat back down while Page grabs the guitar provided for her. You unpack the Bass, and quickly tune it, already seeing a small crowd, and a few actors in the film surround you.

"Well. Bud, can you shoot us an introduction?" You ask him, which earns a light laugh from Page, and a playful scoff from Bud himself.

**Play Tea for Two by Nat King Cole. (Use this: watch?v=RBXhjmTZi0E)**

Bud noodles around with a few notes before getting into the melody, solo. He plays a finesse and a dash of playfulness to match its cheery nature. When he finishes the intro, you and Page come back while he embellishes the melody.

The pace he chose to replay the melody was bright. Still, nothing you and Page couldn't keep up with. Especially with Page being on the guitar, she effortlessly strums up chords to complement the bassline you're playing. She was right about the guitar. If it weren't for Seiryu giving you enhanced hearing, you wouldn't have heard her at all.

Keeping up the playfulness, Bud plays some bright licks and runs all the while staying in the melody. His quick solo starts with him rapidly playing chords in a rhythm that sounds good over your bassline and Page's accompanying chords in the back. Then, he amps up the playful nature by doing a piano roll with one finger up the keys a few times. On the final turn, his finger playfully falls off the keys, prompting you to knock on the Bass twice, emulating a hard rim shot from a drum. The ensuing run starts from high on the piano before swiftly coming down to the middle of the keys.

The final chorus has Bud playing chords again, but he chooses to hold them out before quickly playing little licks to fill up space; rapidly might I add. He starts the final part of the chorus and tops it off like how he began — playing a few stray notes before looking up at Page, who plays a loud power chord to close it out. You hold a final string to boost her sound.

A moderate applause came from the makeshift audience, proving that the three of you sound phenomenal without a set or Sonny.

Good job!

"That was fun. I forgot how amazing you three sounded." A striking feminine voice spoke.

The audience clears off to reveal Bud's wife, Astrud. "To think that just the three of you would sound so amazing without, Sonny."

"Boss hard carries us." Page quickly responds.

You scratch your hair. "Givin' me too much credit, Page. A Bassist is only as good as his rhythm section. So in that sense, we all hard carry."

Astrud drinks in this mutual respect. Seeing her again brought back memories. You both go way back. She's sung for as long as you've been playing. You two played in the same group on a couple of occasions. It was you who introduced her to Bud, and they hit it off almost immediately. Their decision to get hitched threw you off, but they are a loving couple.

"So, Astrud," you spoke her name. "What are we doing here? And what part are we playing in this film?"

"And couldn't the budget afford better equipment? I feel like I'm playing the ukulele as opposed to an Electric," Page said in conjunction.

Astrud chuckled. "Sorry. They blew the budget on the set and actors. Admittedly, they tried to get Eliza to play my part but couldn't afford her asking price. But I imagined the three of you wouldn't show if she did get the part. Besides, being the wife of a fantastic pianist has its perks. I can drag Bud to places like this to give him more exposure, something the three of you need since Sonny went with P.C. Well, maybe not you, Shaggy, but you two most definitely. As for the movie plot, you three will be the house band on a cruise ship. I'll come up to you in the scene and sing whatever song you three are playing, which will be, 'It's You or No One.' Then I'll just sing the melody once, and that'll be all. Any questions?"

"Who's leading in the film?" you ask. "Because I don't think you named dropped us when you suggested you knew musicians who can play both the parts and instruments."

"You're right, I didn't. Which makes Bud the leader in the scene, considering the script says I walk up to the Pianist." Astrud gave her husband an apologetic smile. "Sorry, sweetie."

She kisses her husband on the cheek, which causes Bud to blush profusely, clearly flustered. "It's okay, honey."

You and Page begin snickering before you start noodling on your Bass, playing a bassline for a tune you've been writing for a couple of weeks now.

Page bobs her head in rhythm to your bassline. "Hey, Boss. That bassline sounds super dope!" She gasps at her own realization. "Have you been writing something?"

"Don't get your hopes up, Page," you shot her down. "This bassline is the only thing I have so far."

She raises her hands. "No problem, Boss. It sounds amazing so far. I can't wait to hear it when it's finished."

Anyway, the Director comes into the set, so you stop noodling around. "Alright, you three. Here's how the scene's gonna go. Astrud and Tommy will be sitting at this table, having some dinner conversation when they hear you three playing. She's going to join you for a little number. After that, you three can be on your way. Any questions?"

Page raises her hand, but you check her immediately. "Does your question have anything to do with the scene?"

She lowers her hand in response. You shake your head. "No, we don't have any questions."

"All right! Everyone get in your position. You three just fool around until Astrud starts talking to Bud," he directs.

You three start playing the A Section of 'It's You or No One' in F but softly to hear the dialogue between Astrud and Tommy.

"And ACTION!" the Director yells in his chair.

Astrud and Tommy quickly get into character. The plot of the film is how a paranoid wedding couple suspects each other of cheating, so they both send body doubles on a cruise ship. Funny thing is, they clearly didn't tell each other, so the body doubles think that's what the husband/wife actually looks like. The body doubles end up falling in love with each other.

Goodness, it sounds like it came straight out of the '40s

**(Fun Fact: This was a movie from the '40s called Romance on the High Seas, starring Doris Day. It popularized the tune, 'It's You or No One' which was initially composed by Jule Styne)**

The scene you and the gang are playing involves the pair eating dinner in a mini theatre. As you three fool around, you all start listening in on the dialogue. And funny enough, it's about you all and how you sound.

"Don't they sound lovely?" Astrud compliments before walking up to Bud with a lovely smile.

That certainly wasn't in the script.

"Hello," Astrud spoke to him with a lovely subtone.

"Good Evening," Bud responded, matching her tone.

"Oh, do you sing?" Tommy spoke.

"A little," Astrud replied bluntly, portraying that her character still doesn't trust him yet.

"Do you know this song?" Bud asked, gaining her attention again.

With a genuine smile, she nods. "Yes. Can you raise it a little, please?"

"Sure. Bb, fellas," Bud politely commands you and Page.

She almost choked while trying to hide her laughter, but you three effortlessly shift the keys to Bb so Astrud can let her heavenly voice sing.

**Play, It's You or No One by Doris Day (Here: watch?v=uk75AmDUt_A)**

It's you or no one for me

I'm sure of this each time we kiss (The Lady's in Love)

Now and forever and when forever's done

You'll find that you are still the one

Please (The Lady said please ) don't say no to my plea

'Cause if you do then I'm all through

There's this about you

My world's an empty world without you

It's you or no one (she don't want no one)

It's you or no one for me

du du lulu lulu lu ddu du lulu lulu lu

baby you're the one for me

And the extras and Tommy started applauding. Whether that was part of the scene or not, you didn't really know. Tommy takes Astrud, and they leave the scene as it ended.

"That's a wrap! Good job!" The Director compliments everyone. "Everyone, take five, so we can give the Maplecrest Trio some time to clear out!"

On cue, the movie crew starts setting up the next scene somewhere else on the set.

Astrud walks back up to you three before pecking Bud on the cheek. "That was wonderful. Thank you, sweetie. And thank you two as well. I always adore playing with you. Though I'm repeating myself, you three sound wonderful. A shame that Morello and Jean could not be here." She eyes you. "Shaggy, you're looking into the murders, yes?"

"Not me, but Irvin is, however. I asked him to let me help whenever I can. Turns out, Morello wasn't the only one who was killed. Just yesterday, Irvin and I found out that Hayes was murdered after New Orleans performed at Medici Tower. The wounds were identical to Morello's as well. The person who killed them both does something to the face. Morello got shot while Hayes had his eyes gouged out," you explain. "Spread the word. If you know of any drummers, tell them to stay as far away from Medici Tower as possible. Performing there might as well be a death sentence." Your eyes shift to Page. "And that goes especially for you."

"Got it, Boss. Like I was planning on going back there anyway. I'll make sure to spread the word, Boss," she reassures all of you.

"We'll do the same. You can count on us, Shaggy," Astrud adds.

Oh, that reminds you! "Astrud, can you do me a quick favor?"

She nods. "Of course. What do you need?"

"Can you autograph one of your headshots for me? It's for a friend," you say.

"Oh. Okay, give me a minute," Astrud says as she briefly retreats to her dressing room.

"Is that for your girlfriend, Boss?" Page asked you with a cheeky grin.

You roll your eyes. "It's for her friend. She's a big fan of Astrud, and us too. She works as a waitress at Little Innsmouth."

Then, you playfully knock Page upside the head. "Oh, right. Bud, what's the dress code for tonight?"

"It's an open mic. Wear whatever you want. But considering we're going to see how our normal listeners feel about us a trio, I wouldn't wear a suit," Bud answers.

"I wouldn't worry about that. I'm not wearing a suit to any other performance after our show at Medici Tower. Morello never liked wearing suits, so until I find who murdered him, I'm going to honor his opinion and not wear one," you tell him.

Astrud came back with a pen and one of her headshots. "So, who is this going out to, Shaggy?"

"Oh. Minette. M-I-N-E-T-T-E," you spell out her name.

Astrud finishes the autograph and hands it to you before going in one of your coat pockets. "Thanks a bunch, Astrud. She's going to lose it when I give it to her."

She gave you a gentle smile as you begin putting away your base, preparing for your departure. You don't like being on set for a film. The crew, for the most part, always lacked manners. Because of that, you're going to hightail it before someone insults you.

"I'll see you guys tonight. 35th street, right?" you ask Bud.

"Yup. See you there," he confirms.

With you saying your goodbyes to Astrud, and a see you later to Bud and Page, you head for Little Innsmouth to drop off your gift for Minette and to see your girlfriend. Here's hoping she doesn't jump on you with a passion.

Not that the prospect wasn't one to look forward to.

On the way to Little Innsmouth, your phone starts to ring, and it's Sonny on the caller ID!

You quickly answer the phone to greet your friend. "Sonny! How are things? PC being good to you, I hope?"

_"Oh yeah, he's awesome! But not as good as you, Boss,"_ he responds.

That earned a laugh out of you as you trek toward the bus stop, "Don't let him hear you say that. But what's up? Is the tour going well?"

_"The tour is amazing so far. PC wanted me to call and tell you about our last stop being in New Meridian. He wants you, Bud, and Page to sit in as special guests."_

That would be dope! However, you remain optimistically cautious due to the killings.

"Where is it? At Medici Tower?" you ask suspiciously.

_"Huh? No, I don't want anything to do with that place after what happened with Morello! It's at a bar on 35th street. The show isn't 'till another three weeks though. But we wanted to see if you wanted to do it when we came back,"_ Sonny answered.

"Of course. I'm down to play. I haven't played with PC in a really long time. It'd be nice to catch up on old times. Call the others and let them know!" You tell Sonny. "Oh, before you go. Hayes was killed a couple of days ago after New Orleans performed at Medici Tower. Spread the word. Don't let any drummers play at Medici Tower. It's practically a death sentence."

_"Will do. I'll talk to you later, Boss,"_ Sonny says as he hung up the phone.

It was good to hear from him after not saying goodbye nine days ago. A small tinge of guilt sticks with you from that to this day. Brushing the guilt aside, you make it to the bus stop and not a moment too soon. The bus looks like it just arrived. You pay the fare and get on, opting not to sit down. It doesn't take long for you to arrive at the next stop, Yu-Wan's restaurant a few blocks away.

As you get off the bus and begin walking, an unfamiliar feminine voice calls for you. "Hey, Sheepdog Feral."

To be safe, you stop and turn around to see a nurse. A tall and shapely one at that. She's roughly an inch shorter than you. Her hair is blue, tied up in a ponytail with several bangs covering her forehead. But the feature that really threw you for a loop was her eyes.

Blood red with crosses in place of pupils.

While her bandages did a good concealing job, her right eye had a dressing over it. You can make out the end of a scar going past it. Her grayish skin would've made your skin crawl, but it would seem that Seiryu gave you some extra nerve along with your heightened senses.

Right away, you could tell she was just teasing to get your attention, a playful smile shown despite the mask. But you still took small offense at the remark she just uttered.

"You do know the New Meridian Hospital is on 23rd street, right?" you retort, pointing in that direction.

"Oh, come now. No need to be so standoffish; just wanted to see what you'd say. No hard feelings." She extended her hand. "Valentine."

Hesitantly, you softly grasp her hand for a shake. "Charlie, but you can call me Shaggy if you prefer."

Valentine's face shifts to a slightly surprised look. "Oh! You were Eliza's Bassist a couple of years ago. Then she gave you the ax, and you practically struck gold when you became a freelance."

"Don't need that reminder, thank you," you say as you scratch your hair. "Besides, I get the feeling Jazz isn't your preferred genre, considering you're a nurse."

Adding to your confusion, Valentine begins to giggle. "Enlighten me, Charlie. What is my favorite genre of music?"

"Classic. Most in the medical field listen to it to ease their nerves." You cross your arms. "Am I right?"

"A victory on all sixes!" she responds, clapping her hands together. "It's not that I don't mind Jazz, Charlie. But I don't know how anyone can listen to it. Sounds like a bunch of noise to me."

Now she's really annoying you. She couldn't see your eyes, but they were sharp like daggers.

"Isn't that what all music is Valentine? Even Classical?" You theorize. "But I know people like you. You sound like a Classical music Purist. Instead of vocally shutting your argument down, I'll do it tonight. At the bar on 35th street, there's an open mic at 9. My trio will be there. Show up, and we'll show you how us 'Jazzheads' really do things," you propose.

"Color me interested. I'll be there." Valentine then winks at you. "Later." She then heads the opposite direction.

You roll your eyes as you continue to Yu-Wan's restaurant. The last thing you need was a mysterious woman trying to tell you that your genre isn't up to snuff with Classical music. Let alone flirting with you all the while.

When you open the sliding door, the Little Innsmouth Crew looks up, some brightening at your presence more than others. Minette quickly waves at you because she was serving some patrons.

Out the corner of your eye, Nadia walks to you and pecks your cheek, a sweet smile on her face. "Hey, stud."

"Hey," you respond before kissing your girlfriend's nose, which made her cheeks flare up while her tail wags.

You sit on a nearby stool as Nadia takes the one next to you. She seems really happy to see you. There's probably a good and apparent reason for that.

"How was the movie set?" she asks.

"It was okay. We did it in one take, so that was efficient. I chatted with Astrud for a bit before heading over here. Speaking of," You look in the Dagonian's direction. "Minette."

"Yes, Shaggy?" she politely asks while walking over.

You reach into your pocket and pull out the autographed headshot of Astrud before handing it to Minette. Instantly, her face lit up like Independence Day Fireworks. "Oh, my God... Thank you so much, Shaggy!" Minette hugs you. "How did you know?"

You point your thumb to your lover. "Nadia told me. Astrud and I go way back, so she owes me a few favors, most notably for introducing her to her husband. She was more than happy to do me a solid."

Minette gave you a sincere side hug. "Thanks so much. I'll cherish it always."

She soon went back to serving customers. You turn to Yu-Wan, who eagerly awaits your order. "Get me the usual, please."

"One order of Beef Fried Rice with a side of Catfish Lo Mein comin' right up!" he recites, immediately cooking up your order. "So, any plans for tonight?"

"I'm heading to an open mic with Page and Bud around 9 tonight to see how our regular listeners feel about us as a trio since Sonny is on tour with PC. We won't play much, maybe two songs. I know you guys can't make it since the place doesn't close until 11," you tell everyone within earshot.

Nadia pecks your cheek, showing a public display of affection. "It sucks, but we know you're gonna kill it. Plus, the radio might record it for us so we can listen afterward." Your girlfriend then takes her hand and links it with yours, leaning close to your ear. "I enjoyed myself this morning," she whispers.

You failed to fight off a huge smile. "So did I. I'm astonished at how you lasted as long as me," you murmur.

Her tail slides up your side as she kisses you. "I have my ways. I don't normally enjoy sex, but I'm lucky I have you. You make loving fun." You two quietly share a laugh at the Fleetwood Mac reference. "I can show you later tonight if you're not too tired after the show."

"I'll hold you to it, Nadia," you say as your food finally comes out, Yu-Wan's speedy cooking never devoid of quality.

After eating and making conversation with Nadia (some of it not for the faint of heart), Minette, and Yu-Wan, you go to leave the restaurant. On your way out the door, it opens, and two men bump into you. You immediately gain an attitude at their rudeness.

They must be Medicis.

"Excuse you," you spat.

They both turn to you and get in your face. Nadia saw what was happening and quickly got out of her chair. But you raise your hand to stop her, which she reluctantly does. You stand your ground against the brutes. Yup, they were definitely Medicis.

One of them recognized you, in fact. "Oh shit! It's Shaggy, the Bassist! He performed at Medici Tower a month ago, and his group outperformed Eliza!" What he said next made you raise an eyebrow. "Yo, can I get an autograph?"

"You two bumped into me, didn't bother apologizing, then ask for an autograph?" You recollect. "Hell No!"

"My bad," the more decorated said as he hit his buddy's arm. "Lawrence, apologize."

"Damn, Riccardo!" Lawrence exclaims while rubbing where he was hit. "Sorry 'bout bumpin' into ya, Shaggy. Vitale wants to know when you and your crew will come back to Medici Tower."

"And can we get that autograph now?" Riccardo asked on top of Lawrence's apology.

You take a ballpoint pen you keep in your duster pocket, flicking it to reveal the point. "Tell the big man that my group won't come back to Medici Tower until Morello and Hayes' murderer is brought to justice. And since the entire city knows the Medicis have the PD in their back pocket, and they aren't doing shit to help, let's just say that I'm not too fond of your family. Is there anywhere you want me to sign specifically? Otherwise, I'll autograph your forehead."

The Medicis laugh with the guilt apparent in their tone. "My shirt is fine," Riccardo says as he leans in. You decide to write: "地獄で焼き尽くすグッドフェローズ. (Burn in Hell, Goodfellas.)" In Japanese.

Riccardo looks down and is shocked. "Whoa, what does it say?"

"A Japanese Proverb," you smoothly lie before turning to leave. "I'll see you guys later." You say goodbye to the Little Innsmouth Crew as you take the bus back to your apartment, mindful of Nadia licking her lips at you in a sensual manner.

Who knows, you might get lucky again tonight.

On your way to the apartment, Genbu gets your attention. "Young'un," his shaky voice called for you.

"Yeah, Genbu?" You respond to the Black Tortoise as he crawls on your shoulder.

"That sickly-looking woman is trouble. I know you intend to stay loyal, but bad things will happen if you decide to befriend her." Genbu warned.

"Noted. You've been around for a long time, so I'll take it to heart. But that's not what this is about. I'm just trying to prove a point and maybe expand someone's music taste at the same time." You elaborate on your reasoning.

You look at the clock and remember you're free until Nine tonight, and it's only two in the afternoon. Seven hours to kill, and you don't want to tire your hands before the performance.

Suzaku flies on your shoulder. "Charlie."

"Yes?" You respond after falling back on the couch.

"We should get you used to your new pyrokinetic powers. And sit up! Your current position is bad for posture," the Bird of Grace criticized.

"I play Jazz Bass. A crooked spine was inevitable if you didn't possess me," you counter while sitting up.

Suzaku flew upstairs, most likely to grab something. Or that's what you thought since you weren't sure if Spirits or Parasites need to relieve themselves. She came back down and landed on your lap, holding a deck of cards. You take them out of her beak, and after taking them out their case, you shuffle the stack a few times. This proves you're really good with your hands.

"You know your way around a deck of cards, Charlie." Byakko complimented.

"It's smart to have a side job when you're first starting to play Jazz. The scene was on its last legs when I had to bust my ass getting shows at every possible opportunity. Otherwise, I might've left New Meridian. Anyway, I worked as a Casino Hand and mostly dealt in Blackjack and Texas Hold'em Poker." You eye the bird curiously as you waggle the deck. "But why did you grab a deck of cards?"

"To show you how flexible your powers over fire are. You can immolate anything you touch if you so desire. Draw a card and think about setting it on fire," Suzaku requested.

You draw the top card. And a moment after you create the thought of immolating it, the card catches on fire. Shocked and a little startled, you were amazed at how simple it was. What's impressive is that the card isn't burning and shriveling, nor is your hand in pain.

Suzaku looks happy at the result. "Excellent, Charlie! Putting it out is just as simple."

You think of the flame going out, and like magic, it does. You quickly reshuffle the deck before doing a couple of flourishes.

"Wow, you really know your way around a deck of cards," Suzaku spoke in genuine shock.

"I was even better back then than I am now. However, I couldn't practice much when I got more jobs. I suppose it stuck with me after not doing them for about a year. Cardistry is not lost on me, almost like muscle memory," you say calmly as you put the deck of cards on the coffee table in front of you.

Suzaku's crash course on your powers took only one hour if that. You always get antsy before a show despite the fact you've been performing for a few years now. But it feels notably different this time. It isn't anxiety since Seiryu gave you nerves of steel. This will be the first time you three played an actual show for a crowd ever since Morello died and Sonny's departure.

You're confident that you'll all do well, mixing better than peanut butter and chocolate. Yet, there's always a slim chance the crowd won't get behind you because Page is not on Guitar but on the Drums, and your leading player Sonny isn't here. You count on hand the amount of successful Jazz Trios. Hell, one of them didn't have a drummer. Regardless of whether or not you three do well, you vowed to give it everything you had.

Morello wouldn't want it any other way.

You get up and grab your deck of cards to place in your duster pocket. Walking towards the stairs, you hear a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" you ask, hoping it's someone who'll help you kill time.

"It's Nadia. Can you open the door?" the voice responds.

Interesting. She doesn't get off work until eleven. You glance through the peephole, and it is, in fact, your girlfriend. Not as soon as you open the door, Nadia pounces on you with a love glomp. Her legs and tail coil around your waist. The force pushes you back slightly but not enough for you to lose your balance.

Quickly closing the door with your foot, you return the hug while rubbing her back, feeling her soft lips lovingly kiss your cheek. She is a very lustful Feral, adding a not so innocent lick on the same cheek.

"Hi, sweetie. It's been an hour since I last saw you." You slightly pull away. "I thought you were working all day?"

She unwraps her legs off your waist before giving you another searing kiss, her hand rubbing on your bulge, which grew without you noticing.

"I'm on break, which gives me two hours to kill," Nadia smirked deviously, trailing a claw underneath your chin as she whispers in your ear. "And I haven't forgotten about what you told me back at Little Innsmouth. Since you have nothing to do until nine, you have no excuse not to fool around with me for a bit."

Becoming emboldened, Nadia grips your equipment as if your pants weren't still on. It seems as though earlier this morning wasn't enough for her. You honestly can't complain. All it did was made you yearn for more of her sinful body.

"Don't you want to wait until after the show?" You try to fight off her incredibly powerful urges. (A battle you horribly lost)

"No," she bluntly answered before quickly removing your duster. "If you make me wait until tonight, then we'll be fucking no matter how tired you feel." Her teeth sunk into your neck as she grasped your shoulders. "And I want to feel you when you're wide awake, considering you fucked me silly being half-awake. Now," Nadia's voice dipped again in your ear, making you involuntarily shake. "Not another word unless it's you moaning or saying my name throughout this apartment."

Unable to take anymore, you push Nadia against the nearest wall. Both your hands grip her sizable ass as you two made out, your tongues heavily involved. Her tail wags in approval as she sheds your shirt and her crop top.

Well, at least you found a way to kill two hours. Still, knowing your newfound powers, this latest sex round might end up going until nine o'clock on the dot.

But really. Who are you to deny what your better half wants?

* * *

**A/N: And that's Chapter 3!**

**I originally wanted to put the performance in this chapter but decided against it after putting it off for so long. Anyway, before I go, I'd like to tell you about our main characters here. I assume most, if not, all of you don't listen to Jazz regularly. So here's some background information for you. Every OC that I make for this story that holds significance to the plot has or will reference a Jazz Giant, living or dead.**

**Shaggy's real name Charlie, is a reference to Charles Mingus, a famous Bassist. Bud references Bud Powell, a Pianist. (as I mentioned in the last chapter) Sonny can be a reference to either Sonny Rollins or Sonny Stitt, both Saxophone players. Morello and Jean were referencing Joe and Jean Morello, the former being the Drummer for the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Page is more underground, as she references Nathan Page, a Guitarist who, as far as I know, only appeared in one project. Astrud references Astrud Gilberto, a vocalist and wife of another Pianist named Joao Gilberto. Hightower references Donna Hightower, who was an R&B, Soul, and Jazz vocalist. While he has not appeared in dialogue yet, P.C. is a reference to Jazz Giant, Paul Chambers, who was nicknamed "Mr. P.C." by John Coltrane. And despite having a small appearance Hayes, is a reference to Louis Hayes, a Drummer.**

**What a mouthful.**

**Anyway, what did you guys think? Did you like it? Did you not? Let me know with a Review and or a PM. And while you're at it, check out my Profile, give my other stories a shot, and read my general guidelines as they will help you better navigate through my stories. With that being said, I'll see you guys later.**

**Bye!**

**Currently listening to: White Van by Jake One (Feat. Alchemist, Evidence and Prodigy)**


	4. Footprints

**A/N: Nothing elongated, but before we start, I will say what each chapter title means. Footprints is a Standard composed by Wayne Shorter, most likely known as a member of the Fusion group, The Weather Report. However, Footprints was made before The Weather Report was established. Alright, let's get this chapter underway.**

**Currently listening to: Way to the Show by Solange.**

* * *

Two hours couldn't have gone by any faster.

Nadia's stamina once again deserves praise, considering this time you were wide awake and better acquainted with your powers. But alas, her break had to end at some point, so she was back at Little Innsmouth, leaving you by your lonesome. That still leaves five hours to kill before the open mic tonight.

You look at your phone, No new messages or missed calls. You look at the clock. The little hand is moving so slow, it might as well be broken. Quite the dilemma you find yourself in, Shaggy. Bored, you turn the radio on for what's going on in the city, if not the country.

_"Good afternoon, Ladies & Gentlemen! JoJo with Radio New Meridian to give you the latest news of the Music World. Let's see what we have here." _JoJo said as you can hear papers shuffling in the background. _"Alrighty. First off, we have news of an open mic at the 35th Drink, the bar on 35th street. Rumors speculate that a few members of New Orleans will be there tonight, but this next rumor is what's really catchin' my eye."_

If the first rumor is true, then you can give your condolences to the members of New Orleans. You sat in when their Bassist got sick in Massachusetts, and they even offered you a spot as a stand-in. But you turned down their offer due to working on the scene in New Meridian and weren't confident enough yet to leave.

_"Now, I heard from a little birdie that the recently split up, 'Maplecrest Quintet' are still playing together. About a week and some change ago, the horn player, Sonny, went on tour with a fellow friend in P.C. and his group, Isosceles. But, Page, Bud, and Shaggy are still together. And from what I hear they call themselves, The Morello Trio and they may also be at the open mic tonight. And if you aren't excited about that prospect, then you must be new to the scene. I still remember that performance at Medici Tower like it was yesterday. Yet, the group has been quiet after Morello's untimely passing. I hope and pray that this rumor is true. I'd give up a lung to hear them play again if I have to. Plus, and this goes for all the new musicians on the scene of any genre. Hearing Shaggy playing the bass may as well be a requirement, seldom does anyone who hears him ever regrets it. Despite being 21 years old, he's sparked a citywide reputation, all of it positive. But I'm going to stop now, in case he's listening to us right now."_

Too late, bud. You never thought you had listeners from other genres. Yet, Valentine recognized you after introducing yourself despite not liking Jazz at all.

It's funny when you think about it. You hopped on board with Eliza three years ago because it was consistent, and it paid well. But doing that exposed you to the dark side of the music world, as well as how green you really were. It was practically torture, and you were ready to quit. Then Eliza fired you so at least you didn't have to put in your two weeks.

Afterward, you started shutting yourself in for hours on end to improve your playing ability. You cared little for personal look anymore, only for how you sounded. When you began working as a Casino Hand, your hair was already past your eyes, and people gave you odd looks. But every minute spent out of that Casino was training your fingers on your Bass Strings. One year passed as you started looking for gigs, practically becoming a different person. You looked, sounded, and behaved differently, your maturity growing exponentially.

When you came back as a freelance musician, the scene was almost dead, yet you were the only one at the time who noticed. Eliza, at this point, transcended the stage but still chose to stay here for some reason. You had to carry the weight of reviving Jazz in New Meridian alone. And now, Jazz is the top genre in the city and state. So doing that gained notoriety in the music scene since every (and I mean, _every_) higher-up in the music world pronounced Jazz and every subgenre related to it as dead. No one in that class of music doesn't really like you that much, if at all. Like you cared about them, you were trying to give Jazz some overdue exposure. You did what had to be done, and you, as well as every Jazz Musician, are reaping the benefits.

_"On to our next piece of news, and since I was just verbally blowing Shaggy on air, he relayed a warning to P.C. who informed us at the station. Drummer for New Orleans, Hayes, was killed shortly after performing at Medici Tower. This is the second time a rising star in this scene was taken early after a performance at Medici Tower. So when a Jazz Giant says that musicians of all genres avoid performing at Medici Tower like it was the Plague, you'd best listen to him. The fact that the Medicis have the P.D. in their back pocket is doing the polar opposite of helping. At this point, the only people who'll look out for us musicians are ourselves. Stay sharp Ladies & Gentlemen. More news after these messages."_

Well, now the music world knows to avoid the place. But now you have a feeling that the entire Medici family placed a target on your back.

Truthfully, they had it out for you the moment you resurrected Jazz in New Meridian.

Hearing the rest of the news made the time pass by quickly, enough where you think that you finally deem it time to leave for the 35th Drink. You take your Duster and put it on, and you grab your Bass. On your way out to the bus stop, you see Hightower walking down the hall. She notices you and calls for you.

"Show?" She simply asked you as she pointed at your Bass.

"Yeah. Open Mic at the 35th Drink. It's almost 9 so I should get there soon." You answer as you close the door behind you.

"Ah so the rumors were true." She responded confirming that she also listens to Radio New Meridian. "I may be able to stop by and see you. Anything to get out of these clothes. If I don't show, then I wish you the best of luck." Hightower explains.

"I hope I see you there, Hightower. If not, I'll see you later." You say your goodbye to your landlady. Making your way down to the bus station you feel your phone vibrate. You take it out and you see a text from Bud.

"_I'm here and so is Page. We'll be up second after a few members of New Orleans plays a couple of tunes. I think people are starting to recognize us. You'll be here soon?" _The message read. You quickly respond.

"_I'm on my way to the 35th Drink right now. I won't be long. My landlady might show up, I can introduce you. We'll talk about our setlist when I get there." _ You respond as you put your phone away, as the bus shows up. When you get on, you toss the fare at the driver.

"The 35th Drink. On the double, Bossman." You say to the driver. He nods contently.

"Got it." The driver responds as he heads to the open mic. When he arrives there and you get off, you take a deep breath.

"Let's do this." You say as you enter the 35th Drink.

The lights were dim save for the bar, and the stage whose lights were vivid and bright. It was done like this on purpose to take the pressure off the musicians as to encourage the performers and discourage hecklers. Though you realize that this may not be necessary as hecklers are normally dealt with by those who came to listen to the performers, the barkeep of the establishment, or in a rare case the performers themselves. You recall shutting down many hecklers when you got comfortable performing as a freelance, and now your tongue in a counter-heckling sense is sharper than Page's.

The 35th Drink is a great place for both new musicians and veterans. The crowd is consistent and extremely honest with the performers. And they give those who demand respect the respect they deserve. This is your favorite place to perform, when you were a freelance musician because of your rapidly growing reputation every group was always on board with you sitting in with them and they normally paid you too. You look around for Bud, and Page as no one seemed to notice you were here yet. You look to the stage and you see the Four Founding Fathers of New Orleans. On Piano was the pseudo-leader of the group, Will or more commonly known as the Count. On Saxophone was Lester or Prez as he was normally called. Bass housed O.P. and on drums was Krupa. You knew them when the four of them Was New Orleans and hearing them play with the rest of their Big Band for a while made you forget how amazing they sounded as a quartet.

They were putting it all out there. It must be their last song. You feel a tap on your shoulder, and when you turn to see who it was, it was Bud and Page. You greet them both.

"Good to see that you made it. We've been here for New Orleans' entire set. We've got our work cut out for us." Bud greeted you before complimenting them.

"Not surprised by that all. They are Giants of the scene, the first to grow past the scene in New Meridian. I've played with their Big Band before. They're no joke. But to not to worry, we can and will follow them up with finesse." You reassure your Pianist. Page shared your confidence which is welcoming.

"That's what I kept tellin' him, Boss. you worry too much, Bud." Page calmed him down. "How many songs are we playing, and what songs are we doing? We'll leave that to you." Page told you. You can hear that New Orleans is on the melody out of their last song. You think quickly. Three songs sounds perfectly fine, and you don't think anyone is going after you so you can have a little fun with the songs you do pick.

"Alright. We'll start off with Thelonious, then C Jam Blues and then I'll know what to do after. Cryptic but have faith in me." You sound off. "Page you have Brushes?" You ask her and she nods. "Awesome. Get ready, they're just about done." You say as you point at the quartet. The group received a moderate ovation, some in the audience stood up for them.

"This crowd blows tonight. Everyone should've stood." Page commented as you three made your way to the stage. People started noticing you, but they kept to themselves. They are probably waiting for you three to take the stage before they start applauding. New Orleans noticed you as the three of you were about to take the stage. The Count, Prez, and O.P. gave you a quick surge of reassurance. They knew how good you are and anyone who you choose to hang with clearly can handle themselves. Buddy being the most stuck up, and cocky out of the group whispered in your ear.

"Good luck." Before snickering. Shaking the backhanded blessing off you three finally take the stage, and the crowd starts applauding immediately as you three got ready. Not as loud as the previous round of applause but still strong regardless. Wow, someone is going places. You take your Bass out of her case and shook off some dust, while Page readjusted the drummer's seat. Bud stretched out his arms. You take a deep breath, before sizing up the audience. They were all eager to hear you after not hearing from you in over a month. In the back you can see Valentine, by the bar. You think she winked at you but you couldn't tell nor did you care.

"Should I say something?" You say as a greeting to the audience. They all murmur voices of approval. "Well, I'll try to keep it short because I know that regulars here hate long, drawn out introductions." You begin which earned some more sounds of agreement out of the regulars. "Rookies of the scene write that down because you're gonna be playing here for a while." You point out to the new musicians who may or not be in the audience. "While the others are getting situated, I'll talk a bit. The 35th Drink is my favorite venue to play at, and it's not because I'm on this stage right now." You joke, and Page quickly follows up with a ba-dum-tss which was followed up by laughs from the crowd. "I really dig the crowds here. You all are the most refreshingly honest and pure crowd out of every venue. If the performer sucks you boo them off the stage. If the opposite you encourage them to play an encore. And most importantly, you show respect to those who deserve it. A novelty that other venue audiences don't share. Whether a Jazz Giant like P.C., or The Four Founding Fathers of New Orleans. Even to a lowly veteran like myself-" You list as you compliment the 35th Drink and its regulars but as you started talking about yourself, someone cut you off.

"You're more than a veteran, Shaggy! You're a Legend!" An audience member yelled which earned some more sounds of approval.

"Eh. I don't like being called a Legend, y'know? I'm only 21, and besides. I like facts." You shoot down but completely turned around the situation. The crowd was definitely on your side now. "For example, fact. My name is Shaggy the leader of this little crew of misfits." You started the introductions smoothly and you hear an energetic collection of "yeahs" in the crowd. "Fact. On the Piano is the Second in Command, Prodigal Son of the Piano, Bud." You introduce him and he waves at the crowd as he does a quick run with his other hand. "Fact. Making a leap from the Guitar to the Drums. Formerly known as the Silver Tongued Guitarist, now known as the Smart Mouthed Drummer, Page." She looks up and shrugs which earned even more laughs from the audience, and from Bud and yourself.

"Being nonchalant doesn't suit you Page." You jokingly critiqued, and playing along she flips you off. She grabs her sticks and Bud gives you a content look. You were all ready. "But enough of my voice because I don't sing." You joke which earned even more laughs. "Let's get our set started huh?" You say as you stretch your fingers as you pick your Bass back up. You look at Bud and say. "Thelonious. Play us in, Bud." You firmly request which he grants.

**(Play Thelonious by Thelonious Monk. Here: watch?v=5ALsycHB9nQ)**

Easily one of the weirder tunes you came up with, the main melody is the same note in an odd rhythm followed by the chords of each measure. But what makes it interesting is how the entire song revolves around that one riff. The bridge, the melody into solos, even the solos themselves all revolve around the main riff. You don't really know what inspired you to write a song like this, but the others love it, so you can't complain because they barred you from doing so.

When Bud was finished with the intro, Page played a pick-up phrase to lead you two in as Bud played the melody because Sonny isn't here. You three breeze through the tune and smoothly transitioned into the bridge, which is a slight embellishment of the main melody. A few stray chords are thrown in there, the primary phrase but with a different accompanying note. Bud played a slew of chords to lead back into the melody. You and Page take a backseat into his solo. With Sonny gone with P.C., Bud is now the star of the show, and he can really display how good he is. Seriously, the guy is such a closet workaholic that it shocks you. In his solo, he followed the theme of the tune while complimenting your bassline with stray notes using the Stride Playing at just the right time.

Page is following you two with relative ease as Bud briefly goes back into the melody for a few measures before going back into his solo playing. She obviously isn't Morello, but that was never ever a bad thing. Where Morello was tender and delicate in his playing, Page may very well be a polar opposite. Her incredible technique was secondary to the horrifyingly, 'Three Bears' esque force. It was always just right despite feeling every inch of power that leaked into her playing. The chemistry between you three was always apparent even back when Morello was alive, making for a killer rhythm section when Page was still on guitar. But now that she's on the set, the group felt, I don't know, more complete for lack of a better term?

**(Sorry, I'm normally better at narrating. I'll do better)**

The crowd was definitely feeling you three, thankfully, as if they picked up the somehow upgraded sound despite lacking two members. Bud started playing the melody out while you and Page calmed down a little so he can end the song on a high note. This time around, he welcomes more experimentation, fitting more piano rolls, playing an octave higher, especially on the bridge. When he was done with the final phrase, he played an elongated piano roll as you and Page faded out.

An insane amount of applause erupted from the crowd. But I think you could've played Hot Cross Buns and they would've eaten it up. As the ruckus died down, you got ready for C Jam Blues, but not before you hear a feminine voice speak out.

"What, you're not gonna talk some more?" She asked. It wasn't Valentine, so it must've been a female regular.

"Didn't I say at the start of the set that the audience doesn't like long introductions?"

"Not when it's a vet like yourself. We haven't seen you in a while. We want to know if you and the others are okay. You mean a lot to the scene." Another audience member chimed.

"We're okay." You reassure the crowd. "Look, since we're encouraging a heart to heart. Morello's passing was tragic, and we will always grieve. But you, all of you. New Orleans, us. We all either live, lived, or began here, in New Meridian. For as long as we remember, the city has always been like this. Corruption is everywhere, violence is common, and danger is as abundant as the air we breathe. Things like this happen all the time."

"But if you go, the hard work you put in would be all for nothing." The feminine voice called out.

You take a deep breath. "I appreciate the concern. If a pure soul like Morello was killed for no good reason, then none of us are safe. I've done what I can, and now the rest falls on everyone else. Please, be safe. One death on my conscience is bad enough, and I don't want anymore." You point out. "But enough grief. You didn't come here to be sad. You came here to listen to musicians do what they do best. So relax, kick your feet up and enjoy."

Even Valentine herself included claps in response.

"Very heartfelt, Boss. You always had a way with words." Page said as she resituated in her seat. Wow, the audience is still clapping!

Bud whispers. "We still doing C Jam?"

You nod. "Let's really go in on this. You have a Bird's Eye at the intro. Call us in when you're ready to head to the melody."

"Got it." He said before cracking his knuckles. This oughta be good.

**Play C Jam Blues by Oscar Peterson. (Use this: watch?v=NTJhHn-TuDY)**

The audience is still clapping, though not as loudly even as Bud started again. You heard someone shushing someone in the crowd. As the audience completely quieted down, Bud actually started playing an onslaught of playful licks that transitioned into each other seamlessly. But things really started getting good when he began using his left hand.

Since you weren't playing a note until he called you in, he used his left to outline the chords, a simple task considering that this is a twelve-bar blues. You can feel the elation and joy in his playing and notice a confident smirk on Bud's normally quiet face as he was working his magic. You start snapping your fingers on 2&4, and Page follows up your silent suggestion by playing her hi-hat to build up the actual melody.

You stopped the snapping of your fingers by now, but the audience decided to do the job for you. Some of them stomped their feet. You felt as if the melody was picking up in tempo but knew the speed went absolutely nowhere. Page's hi-hat made the tempo's consistency evident. Confident in Bud, you decided to wipe off your Bass while paying attention to his playing, so that if he chooses to start the melody, you carry through.

Idea after idea continues to pour out of Bud's magical fingers as the choruses flew by. The groove was starting to transcend as if being brought back from the dead via electrocution. Bud was beginning to play his final chorus, and when he was reaching the last four bars, he looked at you and Page. Picking up on the cue, you three flawlessly transitioned into the melody proper.

The audience clapped for Bud's brilliant intro as you three play the most straightforward part of the song, the melody. Just two notes, one of them being C, of course. The second time through Bud filled in on some of the space that was there from the melody. That soon ended, prompting the solo to start.

Giving him a few measures for a break, and Bud starts off with a listenable phrase coasting his first chorus. He picks up on his second break with an assault of piano rolls in quick succession, simpler than playing Hot Cross Buns. The break was so enticing that it earned applause, much to your awe. Taking a playful route this chorus, he played a succession of high notes, descending before finishing the chorus with a few more to emphasize the playfulness.

Third time through, Bud took it more seriously, deciding to just follow yours and Page's as he coasts through the changes like he did the first time through. The fourth break, he took a similar path to that of his second break, playing around as if he was experimenting with his ideas. The fifth break saw him play very minimally in comparison, the chorus following suit.

No interruptions from this point on as you and Page decided to keep playing into each opening of the following choruses. Bud messes around with a similar idea he had in his second chorus, and it won't be the last time through his elongated playing session. In fact, you notice that despite his look of concentration at the piano keys, Bud was fooling around. Page saw this too, and he still sounded better than most if they played Carnegie Hall. He's just grooving with the rhythm section and found a way to enjoy himself while keeping the crowd entranced.

You looked into the audience, all shocked if not dumbfounded at how incredible Bud's playing, not even knowing this is how he is when fooling around. With that in mind, you know of a perfect song to close out this set. Speaking of, Bud, with all the ridiculous shit he was playing, went back into the melody with you and Page right behind him. The energy died down a little but not because you three were drained. It's because rarely does a set end with two songs, and you need all you can muster for this last tune.

A standing ovation was the only response to such a fiery performance of such an otherwise simple standard. The three of you wipe yourselves as that performance left you all sweaty, especially Bud considering he carried the performance that couldn't make any more sense. This next tune can't run long, even if you are the last set hogging the spotlight at a venue like this. It's morally incorrect.

"You got one more in ya?" An audience member chimed, earning mutters of approval from other members of the crowd.

"We do. But before we begin, how about a round of applause for Bud?" You request.

The crowd roared in applause for your piano player and his wonderous playing. You and Page join in, adamant paying your teammate his due. As the applause died down, you started talking again. "But, Bud. Be honest with me. You were fooling around, weren't you? Not that there is anything wrong with that, the crowd loved every second of it. But you've been in a playful mood for a while now."

"So what if I am?" Bud simply responded, confirming his playful approach towards this set.

"I'm not knocking you." You say as you lean in. "But how about for the audience, you take this last tune as if it weren't a joke?"

He sighs. "Sure. It's only fair, but I'll call it."

"Fine by me." You turn to Page. "That fine with you?"

"Don't worry about me, Boss. I do what I'm told," she answered.

You lean in her ear. "One stick. One brush." You simply tell her to which she nodded. "Whenever you're ready, Bud."

You hear him stretch his fingers, a couple of knuckles cracking as a result, and before beginning, he called the name of the final tune of the set, and your guess was on the money.

"Triste." Was all he said as he near immediately began playing after calling it.

**Play Triste by the Oscar Peterson Trio**

Bud quickly plays eight chords before proceeding with a quick run. He then repeated the same eight chords before adding a couple more to queue you and Page to come in. He eases up so you and Page can settle in, and like a rocket, he was playing the melody. Keeping the same cadence locks the tempo and the feel on this take of the Antonio Carlos Jobim Standard. Normally, it's played in the style of a ballad, if not a bossa medium. But Bud has taken it up, meaning this will be a lot faster. Not that you two couldn't keep up.

Page is making the swishing noise with her brush similar to what Morello did back at Medici Tower while taking soft rimshots. You're surprised by her arm endurance as you coasted while Bud completely demolishes the changes with little effort. It looks like he's putting everything into his playing, precisely what you wanted.

Chorus after chorus flies by as Bud continues to show the bewildered how prodigal his playing really is as if ideas were leaking out of his ears. Sneaking runs in here and there. Looking into the audience, and they were all vibing along with this irregular take of Triste. Even Valentine was into it, which means you've proven your point to her hopefully. You notice Hightower in the audience as well, glad she could make it tonight. She's a fan of yours, after all.

Bud looks at you and mouths: "Break in 8," he says as he simultaneously plays a series of runs.

You count the eight and transition into the bridge, all of you playing the same rhythm before Bud briefly goes back into his solo, bringing it back in one more time. The same rhythm, but with different instrumentation, toning down the insanity before going back into the break once more. As he finishes his last string of runs, he seamlessly returns to the melody.

The intensity of his solo dissipates as he coasts through the melody. After finishing, he plays an outro solo displaying his insane skill at playing the piano before finishing it off softly. As the crowd roared in approval, Bud took this moment to wipe the sweat off of his face as he and Page stood up. You three bow as the crowd's applause refused to quiet.

"Thank you very much! We are the Morello Trio! Have a safe night!" You say your goodbye to the crowd as they slowly start to disperse.

"Good job, Bud. You're slowly starting to show the attitude of a leader." You compliment your pianist.

"Only because you're pushing me. If you weren't here, then nothing would change." Bud countered.

"Then I'll continue to push you. In due time, Bud, I will forge that ass into silver." You promise him as you put your Bass away.

"Well, color me impressed, Charlie." You look up and see Valentine approaching after her compliment. "You did very well. Bud, was it?" He nods. "Valentine. A pleasure."

"Of course. How do you know Shaggy?" Bud asked her.

"Ran into him in the street near Little Innsmouth, and he recommended that I show up to hear you all play. While I still prefer Classical, I now see as clear as day the appeal of Jazz," she admitted.

"Then I have done my job. Glad that you enjoyed the performance. Get home safe, Valentine." You say as you continue putting your instrument away.

"No need to worry about me, Charlie. I can hold my own. Like your girlfriend, I'm no damsel. Sweet dreams," she said as she blew you a kiss goodbye before leaving the 35th Drink.

"How does she know about your girlfriend, Boss?" Page asked you.

Odd. You didn't tell Valentine about Nadia. While not a cause for alarm, you make a mental note to call your girlfriend when you get back to the apartment.

After Valentine left, Hightower walked up to you. "Amazing! I'm glad I made it even for just one song!"

"Thanks, Hightower. Good to see that you made it regardless. Bud, Page, this is Hightower, my landlady." You introduce your group to her.

"Charmed. Pleased to meet some members of the scene. I've been itching to come to a show for a while now. Makes me happy you mentioned the open mic. I would've arrived earlier but was finalizing a couple of new tenants. They'll be moving in next week, FYI."

"Noted. Well, Hightower, I'm glad you enjoyed what you heard. Have a safe trip back to New Meridian Heights." You say your goodbyes.

"And I you, Shaggy. Thanks again!" As she heads out, one more figure walks up to you, a male this time.

"Hearin' you three was a delight as usual. I'm glad the rumors about you three showing up here were true," he said.

Wait a minute, that voice sounds familiar. That narrator-like tone, the headphones around his neck, the tape recorder in his hand.

"Wait a sec. You're JoJo from Radio New Meridian. I recognize that voice from anywhere." You assume.

JoJo chuckles lightly. "It seems my reputation is starting to precede me, even if it is from a Jazz Giant like yourself." He waggled his tape recorder. "I hope you three don't mind, but I recorded the entire performance and plan on playing it tomorrow morning."

"I don't think our opinion really matters in that case." You reply as you scratch your head.

JoJo laughs at your claim. "Correct. You don't hoard gold like this. Have you ever considered signing with a label and making an album? Music of this quality sells."

"Not really since every label in the city hates my guts," you answer. "But thanks for spreading the news of Medici Tower and Hayes."

"It's nothing. You looking into Morello's death?" he inquired.

"A friend is, but I help whenever I'm needed. I was the one who recognized Hayes dead in a back alley on 55th street. His eyes were gouged out and had gashes on his neck. The killer didn't even bother to dispose of the body. We can't confirm it yet, but the trend is any drummer who performs at Medici Tower dies shortly after, Jazz Drummers to be specific. But nothing is concrete yet." You inform the Radio Host.

"Thanks for the info. I'll let the people during tomorrow's broadcast. Safe trips back to Maplecrest." JoJo says as he leaves the 35th Drink.

Your Bass was packed, and you were ready to go. "C'mon, I'll walk with you both to the bus station."

You three leave the bar. After seeing Bud and Page off, you start for your apartment. On the way, your phone starts to ring. Checking to see where you are, 53rd street, your apartment in eye view.

You pick up the phone and address Irvin, who was the one who rang you up. "What's up?"

"_Shaggy, you doing anything right now_?" Irvin asked as you made it to your apartment number and unlocked the door.

"I just made it back to my apartment after an open mic night at the 35th Drink. I'm about to put my Bass away for the night." You respond as you did what you said. "Something up?"

"_Not involving our case. But the Medicis have started taking a sudden interest in female Dagonians. Seeing as you're a half-feral, half-human, you know at least one of every race in the city. Warn every Dagonian you know about this. What JoJo said on the radio was true, but on a broader scale. Only the citizens in the city can look out for each other. I also have an update on the murder weapon. However, it's late, so I'll let you get some sleep. Let's meet up somewhere and talk over lunch._" Irvin suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," you agree. "There's a nice spot in Little Innsmouth that I frequent. The place is run by a Catfish Dagonian named Yu-Wan."

"Perfect. See you tomorrow." Irvin said before hanging up the phone.

You start to dial Nadia's number, but she beat you to the punch. "Amazing timing, Nadia. I was just about to call you. You safe?"

"_I'm fine, stud. Thanks for asking,_" your girlfriend answered. "_How was the open mic?_"

"It went well. I was going to call you and see if you've noticed anyone out of the ordinary around Little Innsmouth. Specifically, a sick looking nurse with blue hair and red eyes or eye because she has a bandage over one of them. She's roughly an inch or two shorter than me." You described Valentine as best as you could.

"_The way you described her, it'd be hard not to notice, hehe,_" she commented on your sharp description. "_But no, I haven't seen a woman with the description you just told me. Anything else you wanna say to kill the mood, sweetie?_"

Guess you kinda ran into that one.

"Sorry, dear. But there's one more thing." You answer truthfully. "The Medici family has started taking an interest in female Dagonians. Minette is a prime target. I know you'll protect her as if your life depends on it, but be extremely careful. Now, if you have anything to lighten this conversation, I'm all ears."

Nadia sighs, making you frown. "_Hard to after what you just told me. I was gonna ask if I can come over so we can cuddle, but-_"

"That is perfectly fine with me as I could use some company. I'll leave the door unlocked and make sure to stay awake until you arrive." You reassure her.

"Okay, I won't be too long. I'll see you soon, stud," Nadia said before hanging up the phone, her spirit much brighter.

At least you have a general idea of how tomorrow's gonna go. You're a little peeved that you couldn't find anything that will help find Morello and Jean's murderer, but you shouldn't expect to get something done every day. Mainly when the pace is out of your control. Plus, you're going to see Irvin tomorrow, so getting information is guaranteed.

Thinking about your plans tomorrow was interrupted by a whistling noise. You look toward the door and see Nadia all covered up. "Hey. It's freezing."

"It's almost November, and cats don't like the cold, right?" You ask.

She nods as you walk up to her before coming together in a warm hug. "Wow, you weren't lying. C'mon, let's go to bed."

"Okay," Nadia relents before you lift her up newlywed style with relative ease as you both head to your room for some shut-eye. Lord knows you both need it after what happened today.

Yet, you can't shake the feeling that you're being watched...

* * *

**A/N: And that's Chapter 4.**

**Before I go, a quick announcement. When I published Chapter 1, I said that this would be a side project with Gone but Not Forgotten being the main attraction. But the way I've treated it, it seems like it's anything but. Eyes of a Musician is a side project, so I should start treating it like one. With that being said, don't expect the next installment until after I finish Arc III of GbNF. And who knows how long you'll have to wait until the next one. Alright, I'm done talking. Later!**

**Currently listening to Tonight's Da Night by Redman.**


	5. Bonus: A Tribute and A Message

**A/N: Something else I want to do before I finish writing the finale for Arc III.**

**Now I'm not a big fan of The Stranglers, but I am a fan of music, and since this is a music story, I want to make it here. The keyboardist for The Stranglers, Dave Greenfield, passed away last May due to the pandemic. Paul Desmond's Anniversary death was also last May, so a Youtuber made a tribute, and I wanted to write a quick performance by the Morello Quartet using that video. I'll post it at the start of the chapter. I also have another message, but I'll save that for the end.**

* * *

**Play Golden Brown by Dave Brubeck (Here: watch?v=2Qs1J612nZs)**

A relatively somber day for the four of you as Page's crisp drums shatter the silence with the aggressive precision that her drumming brings to the forefront. Seamlessly, she changes the position of the hits, conveying a change of the time signature from 5/4 to ¾ to 4/4. Flawlessly repeating the same rhythms again, she adds a transitional fill to cue you and Bud in.

Bud plays the background melody of this song, Golden Brown by The Stranglers. A favorite of you four as they were one of the earliest pioneers of punk. Good music is good music at the end of the day, regardless of the genre. Bud repeats the rhythms on the Grand he was given for the venue while you play nothing but singular notes. Usually, you four would be all smiles but displayed looks of dread. Despite this, Sonny puts the mouthpiece of his Alto in between his lips.

Astrid asked if she could sing the lyrics for Golden Boy, but you decided against it. She can't portray the mood that you all feel right now. Sonny is playing the melody, subbing the voice for his now Dry-Martini sound while reminiscing about his favorite Alto player, Paul Desmond. Sonny plays and embellishes the melody before taking a small break, playing it precisely the same way as before.

You, Page, and Bud seamlessly transition into another key for the break. Never has perfection been so close to the point where it can be tasted. A crisp, sharp sounded rarely is accompanied by sadness. No words were spoken between you four since the performance began - no playful banter, no laughs, nothing. Just as the break ends, you all transition into the primary key as all eyes are on Sonny as he starts his solo.

Sonny starts by playing a string of licks that Mr. Desmond frequently played with Dave Brubeck and his quartet. It seems like he's building towards something, evident by what he's playing. You three back him up, amplifying the tone. You check up on Page to see how she's doing, no surprise she's holding her own with no problem. She looks exceptionally focused, which is new. Sonny starts to build up with an admittedly nice lick as you transition into the bridge key. Page shoots her head up and looks at Sonny as you do, wondering why he didn't finish it.

Sonny froze up temporarily, leaving nothing but the rhythm section to pick up the pieces. The reason as to why you four are doing this must've finally got to him. He was temporarily shell shocked that a fellow musician and friend to all he knew was suddenly gone from a damn disease.

Just like it did when it first caught your ears, the sudden stop hit you all unnecessarily hard. Sonny took a deep breath before playing some half notes as you all continued to accompany him. A moment of silence for an expert in his craft, you can call it. Sonny tried shaking it off, continuing to play small but mind shaking lifts oh so softly. A shame no one was around to hear it.

"Jeez, it's a shitty day for rain, huh Boss?" Page whispered to you as you leaned in.

You do nothing but nod. "A shitty day indeed, Page."

* * *

**A/N: A bit short, but the video was too, so I can only write so much. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**As for what I was planning on saying, let me keep it short. America is chaotic, to say the least. Protests are everywhere, and rebellion is the flavor of the day. I am and will always be pro-black. This injustice needs to stop, and the pandemic isn't helping anyone either.**

**Stay safe, be careful, and remember, above all else. All Lives Can't Matter until Black Lives Matter.**

**See you soon.**


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